Out NBA Exec Rick Welts Named To The Basketball Hall Of Fame

Rick Welts

Openly gay NBA executive Rick Welts, currently the Golden State Warriors president, has been elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame

Welts is the first openly gay man to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

From Outsports:

Welts is the first openly gay man to be elected to the Hall of Fame, an incredible and historic feat. He has been in the NBA in some capacity since 1969 and served as the league’s Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer from 1996-1999. He is created with the early building and marketing of the Dream Team and the WNBA.

Welts came out in 2011 and blazed the trail for other openly gay front office members in the league. After coming out, Welts resigned from his position with the Phoenix Suns to become the Warriors president, and the team has won two championships since he joined the team.

Starting as an @NBA ball boy and eventually working in the league office, this man’s career has been an incredible journey. With a key role in marketing ‘92 Dream Team and the launch of the @WNBA, we congratulate Rick Welts. #18HoopClass

📸: Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images pic.twitter.com/9ohh6C5EX6

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) March 31, 2018

Coach Hughes In The House!

It is with great personal pride that I share this video.

Rep. Marc Veasey of Texas honored Coach Robert Hughes Sr. from the floor of the House of Representatives today in advance of Coach Hughes' induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend.

As many of my readers know, my birth mother passed away when I was very young, and as the saying goes, "it takes a village."

My "village" was/is the Hughes family. My best friend, Carlye Hughes, and I faced our early years into adulthood together from Fort Worth, Texas, to chasing our dreams in New York City.

Along the way, I became an "honorary" Hughes and have been a member of the family for over 35 years. I called Carlye's mother "Mother," and her father, "Coach."

Coach Hughes (in Texas being a coach is like being a doctor or clergy - it's an official title), is THE winningest high school basketball coach in all the United States.

In addition to teaching the art and skills of basketball, Coach has spent decades as a leader in the community in Fort Worth. He kept the high school gym open during summers so kids would have a place to go (and stay out of trouble). He inspired countless young folks to become the best they could be. Including me.

I'm so proud to know Coach and to see this so-very-well-deserved honor happen in Springfield, Massachusetts, this weekend.

Watch below as Congressman Veasey speaks from the floor of the House this morning.

Chris Burns Becomes First Out Division 1 Men's Basketball Coach

Chris Burns, assistant basketball coach for Bryant University, becomes the first openly gay Division 1 men's basketball coach via a heartfelt first person essay written for Outsports.

Burns shares his journey from closeted New Hampshire high school basketball to successful college player, and now assistant coach. He includes how he felt about his first boyfriend, who was also in basketball, and how being closeted kept him detached from everyone around him.

Ultimately, it was the historic SCOTUS ruling this past June on marriage equality that gave him the courage to reveal his truth to the world.

Just part of Chris' compelling essay:

That day, when the Supreme Court released its decision, was when I knew beyond anything else: This is all bigger than myself.

There is no greater feeling than being a part of something bigger than just you. That's what has always made sports so special for me.

Since I started telling people in college basketball over the last few months, I've realized my fears were far worse than reality. I've realized that people, for the most part, are human beings first. For a guy who's relatively cynical and can be negative, the reactions of people in my sport and in my life have shut me right up and reenergized my hope in the human spirit, in empathy.

You've got to give the majority of people credit for changing attitudes and credit to all the people who have worked to make that possible. Things have gone fairly well for me so far.

Like the people before me, I hope my story empowers someone, even if it's just one person. But it's a process for everyone.

My advice: Take your time and be comfortable. Everyone's personal journey is special and unique, and no one should feel pressure to do anything they aren't comfortable with.

But always know this: When the time comes to share your true self, you will feel so much love and relief and hope and freedom. It's a truly special feeling, and I just can't thank enough every single person who has helped guide and support me to this point.

Chris shared with USA Today how it all went down when he came out to his team:

“There are parts of this business that lead me to believe what I’m about to tell you is not acceptable here,” the assistant coach says. “This is something I struggle with. It’s made me consider giving up coaching. It’s made me think I’m not supposed to be here.”

Players are wide-eyed. Burns takes a deep breath.

“I’m a gay man,” he says, at last.

He goes on to say he hopes none of this will affect the players negatively, that he wants it to unite them. Bryant’s players surround him with hugs. They tell him they love him. He can exhale.

Congratulations Chris! Your coming out will empower many, many more closeted folks to find their own courage in time. And many of them will no doubt be athletes who need a positive role model to look to.

Thanks for stepping up and being that person.

LeBron James is returning to Cleveland

Apparently, this is a big deal.

Syracuse University in the Final Four!

The Syracuse University Basketball team zone is sort of like the weather. Everybody talks about it, but nobody does anything about it.

That certainly was the case Saturday, when Marquette, after buzzing around this NCAA tournament for longer than expected, became the latest fly in the Orange ointment.

Syracuse and its amazing 2-3 zone beat the Golden Eagles 55-39 in a tough showdown between rivals from the Big East.

Syracuse University will face the Michigan-Florida winner in the Final Four.

As a former head cheerleader for Syracuse University - Go Orange!

Basketball story: Mitchell Marcus of El Paso, TX

I live for these stories. When athletes surpass our expectations and inspire us.

Thanks Jonathan Montañez and everyone who played in this game. You show us a great side of the future of America.

Very, very, very cool.