The NBA and CareerBuilder.com today announced a new partnership committed to promoting diversity recruitment among employers and career development among young people. The NBA and CareerBuilder.com will highlight their new relationship by unveiling the first "Legends in Business" team, which will reach more than 100 employers and over 100,000 potential employees.
This new agreement will be supported through a variety of initiatives, including an overhaul of the NBA Employment Website, career-oriented content on NBA.com, various job fairs, and employer conferences.
The team includes NBA Legends Dave Bing, Clyde Drexler, Julius Erving, Jamal Mashburn, and Dominique Wilkins, who were selected for their success in business after basketball. This team of NBA Legends will share its knowledge and expertise in career development and emphasize the importance of diversity in the workplace starting today with an event at the world's only NBA Store in New York City. At the event, the "Legends in Business" team will be speaking to a group of students from New Heights, a non-profit educational organization based out of New York, about the importance of education and career development.
"The 'Legends in Business' team is proud to reunite with the NBA on this initiative," said Dominique Wilkins. "In our years since playing in the NBA, we have each experienced firsthand the value of diversity hiring within our own organizations and business ventures so we are pleased to join forces with the NBA and CareerBuilder.com in order to extend and promote this important message to various other employers and potential employees."
"Our partnership with the NBA is part of CareerBuilder.com's commitment to serving the employment needs of the communities around us," said Brent Rasmussen, COO of CareerBuilder.com. "Combining the resources of the nation's largest job site and a global sports giant like the NBA will help to raise awareness of issues that are critical to today's and tomorrow's workforce. The 'Legends in Business' team brings together the talents and insights of leaders on and off the court to reinforce a positive message to employers and workers alike."
In the U.S., minorities are expected to make up 34 percent of the labor force by 2012. Studies have shown that diversity increases a company's success, positively impacts company culture, and helps companies to improve relationships with their customers. The NBA, a leader in diversity hiring as evidenced by Richard Lapchick's Racial & Gender Report Card, and CareerBuilder.com are dedicated to educating employers and employees about the important role that diversity hiring practices plays in the workplace.
Since retiring from the NBA, the "Legends in Business" team has collectively experienced success in a wide variety of business initiatives and ventures. Julius Erving retired from professional basketball in 1987 and has since divided his time between entrepreneurial projects and community service efforts. Most visibly, Erving is the president of The Erving Group, a private investment company. He also serves on the Board of Directors for several companies including Saks, Inc. and Fusion Telecommunications.
Dominique Wilkins is a part owner & VP of Basketball for the Atlanta Hawks and works in various management functions within the organization's basketball and business areas. Wilkins is also a partner in a mortgage company, Exclusive Metro Mortgage, and a principal in a firm that is marketing a basketball shooting improvement device.
Clyde Drexler is involved in various business projects including real estate ventures, product endorsements, and airport concessionaire investments. In addition, he owns and operates "Drexler's World Famous BBQ & Grill" and serves as a broadcaster, covering all Houston Rockets home games, for FSN Houston and KNWS Ch. 51.
Jamal Mashburn has numerous investments that span a variety of industries, but his most significant venture is his ownership of five automotive dealerships in Central Kentucky, including Toyota/Scion, Lexus, Nissan, Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep, and Porsche. Mashburn also has an ownership stake in Jackson Plastics, Inc., a Certified Minority Business Enterprise which produces plastic injection molding parts for automobile manufacturers.
Dave Bing founded a steel company called the Bing Group in 1980, which is currently one of the largest African American-owned businesses in the United States. He also went on to acquire Superb Manufacturing, a $28 million-per year metal stamping company, as well as a small construction firm. During his offseasons while playing in the NBA, Bing held management positions at the National Bank of Detroit, Chrysler Corporation, and a small steel company, where he taught himself finance and deal-making.
About the NBA
The NBA, founded in 1946, is a global sports and entertainment brand that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2005-06 season, the NBA will distribute 44,000 hours of programming to 215 countries and territories in 43 languages. The league's worldwide reach can also be seen with 82 international players on NBA rosters. Domestically, the NBA will broadcast 142 games on national television this season on ABC, TNT, ESPN and ESPN2, and is on pace to eclipse attendance records for the third consecutive season.
NBA Entertainment, the league's award-winning production and programming division, produces NBA TV, a 24-hour television network, and exclusive content for each of the NBA's team web sites, and the league's official sites, NBA.com, WNBA.com and NBADLEAGUE.com. The NBA is also an established leader in sports marketing, currently maintaining its longest list of fully integrated domestic and global marketing partnerships with the most recognizable brands in the world, including the leading Internet content and technology providers that bring the game even closer to fans around the world.
As fans witness tremendous performances on the court, some of the NBA's most significant efforts occur off the court. This past year, the league launched its most ambitious community outreach endeavor, NBA Cares. Over a five-year span, players and teams will raise and contribute $100 million for charity, donate more than one million hours of volunteer service to communities worldwide, and build more than 100 educational and athletic facilities where children can learn and play. For more information on the NBA, visit http://nba.com/ .
About CareerBuilder.com
CareerBuilder.com is the U.S.'s largest online job site with more than 20 million unique visitors and over 1 million jobs. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc.
NBA Contact:
Kim Mandara, NBA - 212-407-8086 or
SOURCE: NBA; CareerBuilder.com
CONTACT: Kim Mandara of NBA, +1-212-407-8086,