USA Basketball Wins USOPC Award For Improving Internal Diversity

USA Basketball will receive the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s 2020 Advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award, which will be presented Thursday during the annual USOPC Assembly. The USOPC’s Advancing DEI Award is given to the national governing body or high performance management organization that has most increased the internal representation of women and people of color, inclusive of board members, executives, employees, athletes, coaches and members. Last year, USA Basketball increased its overall diversity score by 11.1%, and the NGB had a 12.8% increase in people of color and an 11.1% increase in women among its national team coaches and staff. In April 2019, USA Basketball named Hawks coach Lloyd Pierce, who is Black, to the national team coaching staff. The USOPC’s diversity and inclusion awards program was started in 2015. Recent recipients of the Advancing DEI award include US Speedskating, USA Softball and USA Triathlon. Winners receive a plaque to commemorate the achievement and a $5,000 grant to further address issues of diversity and inclusion.