Courts of Justice: A Life in Basketball and Activism

This class examines how the game of basketball has interacted with the civil rights movement and how the NBA integrated. It includes my journey of 42 years in the NBA and how we were able to use the vehicle of the NBA to impact social programs throughout our country. I share rarely told stories of events and relationships that forever changed not only the game, but society overall.

Pete Babcock is a 42-year veteran of the NBA as an executive, serving as general manager with three franchises: the San Diego Clippers, the Denver Nuggets, and the Atlanta Hawks. He worked in a variety of capacities from scouting to coaching to player personnel with the New Orleans Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Toronto Raptors and Cleveland Cavaliers. He served as president and minority owner in his final two seasons with the Denver Nuggets. His Nuggets and Hawks teams appeared in the playoffs 14 out of 15 seasons. Babcock directed the NBA Pre-Draft Camp for over 20 years, served on the competition and rules committee and steering committee for the NBA and was a member of the USA Basketball men’s selection committee, picking the 1996 Olympic team and coach.