Source: JEFF HAYNES / Getty
While the NBA has been the most progressive league when it comes to championing social justice and listening to its players, it’s still got some explaining to do.
Over the past few months, one of the biggest disparities people of color have faced is access and opportunity, which is, of course, birthed from money. And it turns out, NBA team owners have been giving tons of it to politics with the overbearing majority of it going to Republicans.
The Ringer reports that over 80% of the political donations from NBA owners have gone to the Republican party, which is a lot compared to the mere 18.4% donated to Democratic causes. That totals about $14.9 million, and that’s only since the election cycle began in 2019. The minimal percentage of leftover went to bipartisan causes.
The report goes even more in-depth and reveals the big wigs that donated directly to Donald Trump, including Los Angeles Lakers‘ Jim Buss, Orlando Magic’s Dan DeVos, New York Knicks’ James Dolan, Houston Rockets’ Tilman Fertitta, and San Antonio Spurs’ Juliana Holt.
On the contrary, Milwaukee Bucks‘ Wes Edens and Marc Lasry, Washington Wizards’ Ted Leonsis, Sacramento Kings’ Vivek Ranadive, Boston Celtics’ Wyc Grousbeck, and Lakers’ Jeanie Buss have donated strictly to Democrats– proving that Jeanie and her brother have differing political views.
However, rather than picking a political party, some owners would rather just not donate at all, like Dallas Mavericks owner and Shark Tank host Mark Cuban.
“I strongly value my independence,” he told The Ringer. “I talk to owners and players who are ‘conservative’ when it comes to financial issues but simultaneously very ‘liberal’ when it comes to social issues.”
When the Milwaukee Bucks protested the shooting of Jacob Blake, Trump commented on the NBA’s “poor ratings” and predicted that viewership wouldn’t rise again.
