As the NBA season quickly approaches, we all anticipate who will start off strong and who will end up favorites to win the NBA Finals. But that’s a few months from now. Today we talk about the Players, and their most powerful weapon against the owners of the NBA. This weapon is a powerful woman, Michele Roberts. Michele Roberts is someone the NBA owners fear, and her old lawyers who she use to beat in the courtroom worst nightmare that came true.
Michele Roberts is a former trail lawyer for Skadden Arps. She was pivotal member of Anita Hill’s legal team during Clarence Thomas Supreme Court case. She at one point was name the “Finest pure trail lawyer in Washington D.C.” (Via; MyAJC). Through her battles in Washington and defending death row inmates at San Quinton State Prison, she has developed a “don’t under estimate me mentality.”
“Between LeBron’s 40 million followers and Kevin Durant’s 17 million followers on Twitter, Laura Ingraham has now introduced herself as intolerant and narrow-minded to 57 million people around the world. We stand with our players,” @TheNBPA executive director Michele Roberts #nba
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpearsESPN) February 18, 2018
Michelle Roberts, head of the NBA Players Association, is one of the smartest, most capable people in sports (and far beyond). If you want a truly capable NCAA President, give her a Brinks truck and full autonomy. Problems solved.
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) March 1, 2018
Now at the age of 62, Michelle Roberts is now the Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). Michele has had that role since 2014 after replacing former NBPA Executive, Billy Hunter. What lead to his dismissal was the players lack of trust in his leadership. Michele Roberts over sees the relations between the NBA Owners and the NBA Players. She makes sure the Players get everything they are worth.
“My past is littered with the bones of men who were foolish enough to think they could sleep on me.” – Michele Roberts (Via: CBS This Morning Interview)
Michele was very important in the collective bargaining agreement between the Players and the Owners. Her role in the negotiations, like in the cases she won years before she was the NBPA executive, helped increase the income pool for players and a less grueling NBA schedule. Referencing the back-to-back-to-back game schedule the NBA use to have.
One of the biggest impacts of Michelle Roberts’ NBPA was working with the National Retired Basketball Players Association and NBA to secure comprehensive health care coverage for former players and their families.
— Alicia Jessop (@RulingSports) February 18, 2018
Since her introduction, we have seen on social media her impact on the collective bargaining agreement has had on the players salaries. Many players are making far more than usual. Michele Roberts was re-elected as the NBPA Executive Director of the Players Union.
Michele Roberts; NBPA exec. director, on gender equality, NBA diversity, the Knicks & more. https://t.co/8xIR5pwNUz pic.twitter.com/avha8iRYIN
— The Undefeated (@TheUndefeated) May 23, 2016
(Photo by: JENNIFER S. ALTMAN/GETTY IMAGES)