The NBA was well-represented at Sunday’s New York LGBT Pride Parade, with a float that carried its commissioner, and an openly gay referee, executive and ex-player. The event also had the endorsement of one of it’s biggest stars, Kevin Durant of the champion Golden State Warriors.
Proud that our president @RickWelts is representing the @warriors and joining with the @nba & @wnba family in this year’s #NYCPride March!
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 25, 2017
Rick Welts is the Golden State Warriors president and openly gay. He was on the NBA pride float with his partner, Todd Gage.
A day with Adam Silver, Bill Kennedy and Rick Welts (among others) aboard the NBA's float at the NYC Pride March: https://t.co/u2k2n5tnwc
— Scott Cacciola (@ScottCacciola) June 26, 2017
The float also included league Commissioner Adam Silver, openly gay referee Bill Kennedy and Jason Collins, a former player who came out in 2013. Collins is the only openly gay player in the four major male U.S. team sports — NBA, MLB, NHL and NFL — to ever play while active.
“It was an exhilarating thing to be able to know that the people that I work for and the company that I work for are as open and inclusive as they are,” Kennedy told the New York Times. “For me personally, it was a long time coming. So to be able to share and be out and be open and not worry about where you go or who you’re talking to — just drop the baggage, let it go and be you. That’s what this is about: Just be you.”
The NBA — which also owns the WNBA — was the only major sports league to have a pride float, which is admirable. It also is selling a line of pride-themed T-shirts.
On the other hand, the league decided to go back to North Carolina for the 2019 All-Star Game, accepting the fig-lead bill passed to repeal the anti-LGBT HB2 that is opposed by every LGBT right group. Progress comes in fits and starts.
