By most accounts, the NBA is considered a pretty diverse league.

Nearly three-fourths of the NBA's players are of African-American descent. Six of the 28 head coaching positions are currently filled by men of color. While there may be diversity on the basketball courts, there isn't enough when it comes to front office positions, according to Michele Roberts.

Roberts is the National Basketball Players' Association executive director. She spoke of the glaring problem of the lack of diversity when it comes to not only coaches, but general managers and owners.

Via ESPN's The Undefeated:

“There clearly is a dearth in the number of coaches of color and GMs of color, and frankly owners of color,” Roberts said. “And so we can't pretend there isn't work to be done.”

Roberts continued to speak on the issue of the lack of African-Americans in team ownership positions:

“It's something that the players do on occasion bring to my attention,” she said. “I would be at least as interested in seeing us figuring out if there is something we can do as a players association, or even if it's just something informally, to do something about the amount of … ownership of color. Because I frankly feel the tone is set at the top.”

There are currently just four general managers of color and only one African-American who is a majority team owner in the NBA. That distinction belongs to Michael Jordan, who currently owns the Charlotte Hornets.

As Roberts and the NBPA continue to make strides for all players, there is some progress for former players owning teams. Shaquille O'Neal has a minority stake in the ownership of the Sacramento Kings franchise.

Hopefully as the years progress, we'll see an improvement in diversity all across the board for the NBA.

[button width=”full” button size=”bigger” color=”custom” align=”center” textcolor=”#ffffff” texthcolor=”#ffffff” bgcolor=”#8b0000″ link=”https://clutchpoints.com/shaquille-oneal-says-tyronn-lue-wasnt-allowed-talk-lakers-tenure/”]NEXT: Shaquille O'Neal says Tyronn Lue wasn't allowed to talk to him during Lakers tenure[/button]