By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the talks for a new collective bargaining agreement in the NBA still ongoing, the NBPA added new blood to the executive committee.
The new faces are Jaren Jackson, Jr. and Donovan Mitchell who were elected as NBPA vice presidents, while Grant Williams was elected as first vice president replacing Andre Iguodala. Meanwhile, Kyrie Irving’s term also expired and he is not part of the committee anymore.
“I would say that we’re in a great space,” said CJ McCollum, who is president of the NBPA. “We continue to move forward, and I’m happy with the progress that we continue to make, although there is room for more improvement in areas in which we’ll continue to grow. I think we’re definitely heading in the right direction.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver and National Basketball Players Association executive director Tamika Tremaglio both insisted it is “absolutely a priority” for the two sides to come to an agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement ahead of the March 31 mutual opt-out date of the current CBA.
Per the NBPA press release: “The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) hosted its annual winter meeting of the NBPA Board of Player Representatives earlier today, where the body elected new members of the NBPA Executive Committee.
NBPA Executive Director Tamika Tremaglio and NBPA President CJ McCollum addressed the media following the meeting to give a “state of the union” press conference and to formally announce the election results.
Grant Williams of the Boston Celtics was elected by his peers to step into the role of First Vice President, replacing Andre Iguodala, whose term has expired. Iguodala has served as First Vice President since 2019 and prior to that, served as a member on the Executive Committee beginning in 2013. Williams, who had previously served as a Vice President and Player Rep, will begin his 4-year term immediately.
Jaren Jackson, Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies and Donovan Mitchell of the Cleveland Cavaliers were elected as Vice Presidents to the Executive Committee, replacing Kyrie Irving, whose term has expired, and Grant Williams, who was elevated to First Vice President. Both Jackson and Mitchell will begin their respective 3-year terms immediately.
“We are thrilled to have Grant in this elevated position, and we welcome Jaren and Donovan to the Executive Committee,” said NBPA President CJ McCollum. “Their experience and ability to connect with the younger players in our league will be imperative as we move forward as a union. I also want to take a moment to thank Andre and Kyrie for their service. Kyrie’s insights have been invaluable since he joined us in 2020, and Andre has been been a key leader for us for more than a decade. Their leadership will be missed but we know they will stay close and continue to support us as we work for the best interests of the brotherhood.”
“Andre has been such an incredible leader for the players and I am honored to follow in his footsteps in this role as the new First Vice President,” said Grant Williams. “With increased responsibility, my goal is to ensure the well-being of our players on all fronts and inspire them to grow as leaders inside and outside of our sport. I look forward to continuing our important work with CJ, Tamika and the rest of our player leadership to elevate and strengthen the union.”
“Having grown up around the league and the union, and now in my fifth season as a player, I appreciate so much more the importance of the business side of the game,” said Jaren Jackson, Jr. “I am excited to step into this role so we can continue to make progress as a union and leave behind an even better legacy for future players.”
“It’s very humbling to be elected by my peers as a Vice President,” said Donovan Mitchell. “I wanted to take on this leadership role within the union to pave the way for the next generation of players and help current and future players better understand all aspects of our business, on and off the court. This is an exciting new chapter for me to grow as a leader and work to move this union forward.”