Notebook | NBA has highest percentage of minority leader in pro sports history

ORLANDO, Fla. — The NBA had seven black top executives among its 30 teams during the 2007-08 season, the highest percentage of minority presidents and CEOs in men's pro sports history.

The 23 percent of black executives, plus high ratios of women and black vice presidents, helped the NBA receive the first overall "A" among men's sports teams, according to the report issued Thursday by Richard Lapchick.

Lapchick, the head of the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, has issued the report for nearly two decades. The seven black executives were three more than last year.

"It doesn't surprise me. It was a kind of gradual move toward that," Lapchick said.

The only other sport to receive an overall "A" has been the WNBA.

Twelve black head coaches were in the NBA last season. At 40 percent, it's the highest in all pro sports. A league-record 42 percent of assistant coaches were minorities.

The seven black presidents/CEOs were: Terdema Ussery, Dallas Mavericks; Fred Whitfield, Charlotte Bobcats; Steve Mills, New York Knicks; Billy King, Philadelphia 76ers; Larry Miller, Portland Trail Blazers; Joe Dumars, Detroit Pistons; and Isiah Thomas, New York Knicks.

King was fired in December, Thomas in April. The Washington Wizards' Susan O'Malley, the first and only female president of an NBA franchise, stepped down last summer.

Charlotte's Robert Johnson remained the only black majority owner in men's pro sports.

Three of the 12 coaches were fired by the end of the season. There have been 54 black head coaches in NBA history, more than twice as many as any other sport. MLB is second with 26 minority managers.

NBA officials did not immediately return e-mail or telephone messages.

Bulls talking with Collins

CHICAGO — Doug Collins, who guided the Chicago Bulls and a young Michael Jordan from 1986-89 but couldn't get them past Detroit in the playoffs, has talked with the team about returning as coach.

"I have spoken with Bulls management recently about their head coaching vacancy and will resume conversations after the conclusion of my work for TNT in the Western Conference finals," Collins said in a statement Thursday from Los Angeles, where he was working Game 5 of the Spurs-Lakers series.

Notes

• The Detroit Pistons don't know if Richard Hamilton will be healthy enough to play tonight against the Boston Celtics, who lead the series 3-2. Detroit's leading scorer strained his right elbow in the final seconds of Boston's 106-102 win Wednesday. X-rays were negative, and Hamilton's arm was in a sling as he left the arena. Coach Flip Saunders says Hamilton's status won't be determined until today when the Pistons host the Celtics in Game 6.

• Detroit's Rasheed Wallace was fined $25,000 Thursday by the NBA for using profanity and criticizing the officiating after the Game 5 loss. Wallace was given a technical foul, his sixth of the postseason, with 5:18 remaining in the game for arguing a call against teammate Lindsey Hunter. His next technical will carry with it a one-game suspension to be served in the next game.