Page 1 of 3
NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:31 pm
by Black Jack
I see the constant Bronny and Antetokounmpo brother roster spot complaining and let us not forget how much nepotism there is throughout the league. For instance my team's assistant owner has his son in a top management spot, Utah has an Ainge son as GM, etc. etc. etc. Bryan Colangelo deserves a shotout.
Maybe it's time to start pressuring NBA teams to hire qualified execs instead of sons of owners and execs? Those are jobs people without a 40 inch vertical can fill and it seems like theres too many nepo babies with full trust funds in those jobs taking away work from the non connected people.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:35 pm
by Optms
It only became an issue when Lebron did it. The hypocrisy from fans who support Nepo-run-organizations is too much for me.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:37 pm
by samwana
Billy Donovan's son is head coach of the Windy City Bulls...
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 8:59 pm
by dirkdiggler4177
The whole american economy is built on nepotism
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:00 pm
by bkkrh
The problem will always be that there is no real risk and that you actually get rewarded through the draft by sucking. Not to beat a dead horse, but again the difference to European professional sports is that there are major consequences for mismanagement. Teams get relegated, go bankrupt, lose out big time on earnings if they don´t qualify for international competitions or are relegated to a lower league. Teams that are bad in developing their players don´t wind up with the biggest talents and especially don´t receive constantly more of them if they fail to turn them into good players.
The reality for leagues like the NBA is that the league consists of 30 teams but that realistically you will never have more than 3-5 teams that are real title contenders. And there is just really nothing else to play for than the title and now the tournament. Yes there is more revenue through the playoffs, but there is already so much money pumped into teams through other revenue streams that it will not have a major impact.
It´s kind of having a big sales team in your company where the top 3 performers receive a massive bonus, while the rest of the team is already earning such a great base salary that there is no real motivation for them to try more, since they already know that they won´t be able to catch up to the top peformers in the first place and have full job security. And even worse, the worst performers receive additional rewards in hope that they will turn themselves into top performers in the future based on that.
In a lot of areas there is just a lack of system. There is no real coaching development system, or GM development system. You rarely see something like a successful G-League or European Head Coach/Manager take over an NBA team. Again that happens all the time in comparison in the European sports leagues. Pretty much all of the most football successful managers in history started as a youth trainer or co trainer, then became head coach of a smaller club, then moved to a bigger one, then to a bigger league. Even if they were former superstars of that team, it is super rarely the case that they directly take over as head coach or manager.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:05 pm
by SkyHook
In breaking news, water is wet.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:10 pm
by kg01
Optms wrote:It only became an issue when Lebron did it. The hypocrisy from fans who support Nepo-run-organizations is too much for me.
Facts.
Call it all out or STFU about Bronny and Giannis' brothers.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:21 pm
by Maxthirty
dirkdiggler4177 wrote:The whole american economy is built on nepotism
The entire world is built on nepotism.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:23 pm
by Mavrelous
There is nothing wrong with nepotism...
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:26 pm
by adubmac
Optms wrote:It only became an issue when Lebron did it. The hypocrisy from fans who support Nepo-run-organizations is too much for me.
Austin Rivers would like a word.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:42 pm
by TheGeneral99
Yep it's always been like this:
Doc signing his son Austin to a decent contract a few years ago.
You have George Karl's son as an assistant, Jerry Colangelo's son Bryan becoming a GM etc.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:54 pm
by JimmyPlopper
Calling out the recent ones doesn't mean ignoring the old ones. Some people just wanted to argue it seems because the OP doesn't say that this is a recent trend.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:54 pm
by lambchop
Maxthirty wrote:dirkdiggler4177 wrote:The whole american economy is built on nepotism
The entire world is built on nepotism.
It's literally only in the west where they try to convince people that "if you want it as bad as you want to breathe" you'll be successful and that's the only way.
Everyone else knows success is usually built on family ties, friendships, networking etc.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:55 pm
by ropjhk
dirkdiggler4177 wrote:The whole american economy is built on nepotism
Americans (and Canadians as well) have a thing for dynastic rule for some reason. Whether it's presidents, sports athletes or celebrities. We seem to be obsessed with the children of famous people.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 9:58 pm
by redslastlaugh
Black Jack wrote:I see the constant Bronny and Antetokounmpo brother roster spot complaining and let us not forget how much nepotism there is throughout the league. For instance my team's assistant owner has his son in a top management spot, Utah has an Ainge son as GM, etc. etc. etc. Bryan Colangelo deserves a shotout.
Maybe it's time to start pressuring NBA teams to hire qualified execs instead of sons of owners and execs? Those are jobs people without a 40 inch vertical can fill and it seems like theres too many nepo babies with full trust funds in those jobs taking away work from the non connected people.
Let it be how it is. If teams want to hire the president's son and empower him beyond his competency, let them. The smarter teams will hire competent executives and derive a competitive edge.
Why would smart teams want to start pressuring dumb, nepotistic teams to hire better decision makers? What are you, nuts?
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 10:19 pm
by Broadcaster
dirkdiggler4177 wrote:The whole american economy is built on nepotism
This. A lot of people don’t deserve the positions they’re in but they’re handed the keys to a palace while honest, hard working people, bust their asses to hardly make ends up. Greed runs the world.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 10:23 pm
by Tnasty4l
It's cool when they do it it's a problem when we do it.
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 10:47 pm
by Dr Aki
Most incestuous organisation in all of sports.
17 NBA Championships and counting
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 11:14 pm
by og15
samwana wrote:Billy Donovan's son is head coach of the Windy City Bulls...
A lot of coaches sons get a good leg up on coaching opportunity, that's for sure.
I mean, I hope there aren't people who thought Lebron and Bronny invented nepotism in the NBA or something lol
Re: NBA front offices are all about nepotism
Posted: Thu Oct 16, 2025 11:20 pm
by jwood255
Isn't nepotism just family DEI? Thought these rich dudes hated that? Lol