Kathy Behrens, the NBA’s president of social responsibility and player programs who helped build community initiatives such as NBA Cares and NBA Green over a 26-year career, is exiting the league office, Sports Business Journal reported.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Executive transition under David Weiss ensures operational continuity for ongoing player engagement initiatives.
- Community and sustainability targets, including the 2030 carbon reduction goals, remain central to league infrastructure and venue compliance.
- Franchise-level philanthropic commitments and player-led social impact projects retain their established executive framework.
The Evolution of NBA Cares and Community Impact
Behrens first interviewed for the NBA position in the summer of 2000, sitting down with then-David Stern along with top lieutenants Russ Granik and Adam Silver. At the time, she was serving as executive director of the nonprofit New York Cares. Stern charged her with expanding the league’s community footprint beyond traditional stay-in-school programs and volunteer efforts.
The resulting launch of NBA Cares integrated social responsibility directly into the business model of the league. Over the following two decades, the initiative focused on building and renovating safer spaces for children and families, including upgraded community centers. During tentpole events such as the NBA Finals, All-Star Game, NBA Cup, and Summer League, the league routinely unveiled reimagined Boys and Girls Clubs, refurbished basketball courts, and gifted STEM learning facilities.
Hundreds of players collaborated with Behrens on these projects, including Stephen Curry, Jayson Tatum, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Russell Westbrook, and Chris Paul. Behrens also organized goodwill trips overseas during the early days of Basketball Without Borders alongside the late Bob Lanier and Dikembe Mutombo, traveled to New Orleans with Yao Ming after Hurricane Katrina to help reconstruct homes, and supported the late Jason Collins through his inclusion pursuits.
“There was such buy-in from the top, from all my colleagues and from frankly the teams and players,” Behrens said, as noted by Sports Business Journal. “People always say, ‘Well, how do you make them do something?’ You can’t make anybody show up and care when they’re seeing kids or visiting kids in a hospital or doing one of our clinics or doing a legacy project. People have to be genuinely and authentically present.”
Green Initiatives and Leadership Transition
In 2007, Behrens and Stern collaborated with environmental scientist Allen Herskowitz to found NBA Green. The program established benchmarks to cut the NBA’s carbon footprint in half by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2040, supported by advanced arena designs at venues like the Intuit Dome, State Farm Arena, and Golden 1 Center.
Throughout her tenure, Behrens oversaw roughly 45 employees across departments including Social Impact and Inclusion, the NBA Foundation, the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition, and player engagement. She was honored as an SBJ Game Changer in 2011 and served on the board for NBA China and as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Board of Governors.
| Initiative / Program | Launch Year | Key Leadership & Collaborators |
|---|---|---|
| NBA Cares | Not specified | Kathy Behrens, David Stern, Adam Silver |
| NBA Green | 2007 | Kathy Behrens, Allen Herskowitz |
| Basketball Without Borders | Not specified | Kathy Behrens, Bob Lanier, Dikembe Mutombo |
Reflecting on her quarter-century milestone reached last year, Behrens noted that the demands of the league office prompted her decision to step back. Her staff will now report to David Weiss, the league’s EVP/Operations & Administration. Going forward, Behrens will remain on the Board of Regents at the University of Hartford and pursue consulting in the sports impact and philanthropy space.
“In her role, Kathy goes from dealing with NBA owners, to superstar players, to team executives, to political leaders — and she has the unique ability to connect and be respected by all,” said Rick Welts, the Mavs’ CEO who previously served as NBA EVP/Chief Marketing Officer and president of NBA Properties.
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