The Charlotte Hornets are being led by a Black executive team. Following the selling of Michael Jordan’s stake in the team for a reported $3 billion in June 2023 to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, as previously reported by AFROTECH™, it is undergoing new changes in leadership. On March 5, 2024, Jeff Peterson was hired on as the executive vice president of basketball operations, notes the NBA. Before this role, he had been assistant general manager of the Brooklyn Nets. According to a press release, the team cemented a deal with Dotun Akinwale, who has worked in the NBA for 11 years as an executive, to bring him on as assistant general manager. Prior to the title, he had been promoted to vice president of player personnel for the Atlanta Hawks. On May 9, 2024, Charles Lee, who boasts a decade of experience as an NBA assistant coach joined the team as head coach, leaving the Boston Celtics. “We are excited to welcome Charles Lee as the head coach of Charlotte Hornets,”...

Having a Black woman in your corner is a sure shot for success. Although they make up only a small percentage in the business of sports, the underrepresented group is often a saving grace behind the scenes within the space. During AfroTech Executive Los Angeles in September 2022, a few powerhouses who make up the underrepresented group gathered for a panel titled The Changing Face Of Sports And Fitness Leadership. During the conversation — moderated by the CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Nichol Whiteman — the women not only touched on making it into the industry but also on surviving as Black women. Photo Credit: AfroTech “You can’t come into this industry with thin skin. Whether you’re a male or female, you have to be thick skin. You’re going to have to go through a lot. You’re going to have to work harder,” Kiesha Nix said during AfroTech Executive Los Angeles. “At this point in our careers, people joke with us sometimes that we should be working smarter and not harder....