Though the NBA is "primarily African-American, only three of the league's 30 GMs are black," leading to questions for Commissioner Adam Silver about whether the league "may implement a version of the NFL's 'Rooney Rule,'" according to Gary Washburn of the BOSTON GLOBE. Silver said, "In terms of specifically a Rooney Rule, to be honest, I'm not sure how effectively that works in the NFL. I do think we need to do more. I'm just not sure if it results in something that looks like a Rooney rule or something more unique to the NBA." Silver said that the league is "working to train former players who have managerial aspirations on the salary cap and other business-related topics." Washburn noted many aspiring African-American coaches and GMs privately "believe they are being tabbed as not being schooled in basketball analytics," so they are being "passed over for opportunities." The league has taken a "dramatic turn over the past decade toward more analytical thinking." But some former players "privately believe their basketball acumen from playing is being overlooked because they are not considered analytics freaks." Silver: "That may be part of the problem. Without weighing in on the balance between real-life basketball experience and analytics, I think these things are a bit cyclical. ... I think ultimately where it will pan out is I think you need both" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/4).
