The NBA was the "only major professional sports league to have a float" in yesterday's Pride March in N.Y., and the league was joined by several "executives and officials" from the WNBA, according to Scott Cacciola of the N.Y. TIMES. Warriors President & COO Rick Welts, who came out over five years ago, arrived with his partner Todd Gage "wearing a T-shirt that read, 'Proud Champions.'” Former NBAer Jason Collins was also in attendance. While "several WNBA players have come out" in recent years, "no active player in the NBA has since Collins -- a thorny issue, one that even Welts struggles to explain." Welts: "The hardest thing is always active players, and I get it. I don’t know. It’s hard. We’re dealing with very young people.” Warriors F Kevin Durant "tweeted his support" for the parade and Welts. Durant: "Proud that our president @RickWelts is representing the @Warriors and joining with the @nba and @wnba family in this year’s #NYCPride March!” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was also in attendance, providing "keepsake towels that the league distributed along the route -- 5,000 towels in all." Silver "spent most of his time at the front of the float with his wife, Maggie Grise, as he waved to the crowd." Like most of his colleagues -- including WNBA President Lisa Borders -- Silver "carried a rainbow flag" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/26).
