*When Los Angeles Lakers hired agent Rob Pelinka as their new general manager, it left many potential minority hires feeling a certain way — left out in the cold is the simplest way of putting it.
Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated spoke to eight high-ranking black NBA executives who are disappointed that they did not get the opportunity to interview for the general manager position, reports yardbarker.com.
“It’s always done in private and way in advance,” one high-ranking black executive said of the Pelinka hire. “We got no shot once the news breaks.”
Another executive admitted they were “surprised” to hear of the hire.
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#Lakers have hired Rob Pelinka as the new GM for the team pic.twitter.com/MpJ0zPCR1F
— ᏢᏞᎪNᎬᎢ ᏞᎪKᎬᎡᏚ (@Lkrs4Life702) February 22, 2017
The executives largely note Pelinka’s influence with Kobe Bryant as the reason he got the job with no competition.
“Los Angeles has always been about hype,” another high-ranking black NBA team executive said. “Kobe obviously had influence in getting Pelinka pushed through the door.”
“I heard that this was coming,” added another. “He has a real connection with Kobe.”
While there may be many who feel threatened by the possibility of a Black man overseeing the Lakers, Black executives would at least like a fair shot at interviewing for the GM position – a shot many feel they don’t get.
“Nothing surprises me in this business,” one black executive said. “Analytic guys getting jobs. Coaches being named executives. Now it’s the agents’ turn. Everyone except the people who have the practical basketball experience are getting shots.”
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