The NBA has been among the most progressive leagues in terms of hiring women, each year populating their benches and front offices with more diverse talent. The Boston Celtics have added former WNBA star Kara Lawson as an assistant coach and Allison Feaster as their director of player personnel. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge and head coach Brad Stevens were both all-in when it comes to the hiring of women for the workplace.
“Brad and I have talked a lot about this, and Mike [Zarren] and I have talked a lot about it. I believe that women bring a different perspective in any sort of business,” Ainge told Shira Springer of WBUR 90.9 News. “If I had a board of 15 people, I would want probably 14 women and me. But at least 50/50. … Brad feels the same way.
“My wife counsels me all the time and Brad’s wife is actually his agent… I feel like there’s a different perspective. And we have a lot of players also that are raised by single mothers. But I think that the biggest thing, I believe men and women are different. And they bring a different perspective. … These two women that we brought in are very, very well educated and experienced in the world of basketball. And I think they’re going to bring great perspective to our coaching staff and to our entire organization.”
The NBA is making room for some of the retired WNBA stars who are hoping to remain in the basketball world by means of coaching, scouting, or playing a part in the front office. Yet others without the WNBA pedigree like Feaster, who starred at Harvard before pursuing her NBA job, have also found a place in the league.
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