Every year, the University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport takes attendance in the front office, sidelines and locker room to see whether biases or glass ceilings might be affecting hiring practices. Usually, the NBA ranks higher than any other professional sports league. I thought it would be good to pass along the release because it’s fairly interesting reading, so here it is …

For immediate release:

2008 Racial and Gender Report Card for the National Basketball Association.

Richard Lapchick, author of the study, said, “The NBA has had the top grade among the men’s leagues for race for all 15 previous reports over nearly two decades. Based on the total points used in the weighted scales, the NBA earned its highest grade ever for gender at 84.5, tied its highest grade ever for race with 96.2 and had the first ever A (90.3) for a combined grade for race and gender in men’s pro sports. In the 2006-07 Racial and Gender Report Card, the NBA had an A+ for race and a B for gender, which combined to give the league an overall grade of B+.”

Below are some of the highlights reported by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport:

· The NBA achieved the highest percentages for people of color in the history of men’s professional sport in the category of team CEOs/presidents at 23 percent. Team vice-presidents at 15 percent and league office professionals at just over 34 percent tied last year’s percentages.

· In the NBA, almost 80 percent of the players were people of color. The percentage of African-American players increased to 76 percent from last year’s 75 percent mark. The percentage of Latinos and Asians remained constant at three percent and less than one percent respectively. International players were down one percentage point to 18 percent.

· Professional opportunities for people of color in the NBA League Offices – at 34 percent – stayed the same as the previous Report Card. This tied the highest percentage in the NBA’s history and the highest in the history of any professional sport from last season.

· Women held 41 percent of the professional positions in the NBA League Office. This increased by two percentage points from the previous Report Card and was higher than any other men’s professional league in any previous Report Card though still below the NBA’s high of 49 percent female professionals in the league office in 1995-96.

· Robert Johnson, who owns the NBA Charlotte Bobcats, remains men’s pro sports only African-American team majority owner.

· There were 12 African-American head coaches at the beginning of the 2007-08 NBA season, the same as in the 2006-07 season. The NBA continues to have the highest percentage in all pro sports at 40 percent of the total. This season matched the second-highest in NBA history, equaling the 40 percent of the 2004-05 and 2006-07 seasons. No other sport has exceeded that figure.

· The 54 African-American head coaches in the history of the NBA are more than twice as many head coaches of color than any other men’s pro sport. Major League Baseball is second with 26 managers of color.

· At 42 percent the NBA set its highest percentage of assistant coaches of color ever.

· As of the end of the 2007-08 regular season, there were seven African-American CEOs/presidents in the NBA, surpassing the previous high of four in 2006-07 and 2005-06. Susan O’Malley, the only female president in the history of the NBA, left the Washington Wizards organization before the beginning of the 2007-08 season.

· In the season under review, the NBA had seven African-American general managers in the 2007-08 season, one less than in the previous season.

· The NBA had 15 percent of its team vice president positions occupied by people of color, the same as last year when it was the highest in the Report Card’s history as well as the highest in the history of any professional sport.

· The percentage of people of color holding NBA team senior administrative positions increased to over 22 percent, up two percent from last year, setting the all-time record for the NBA. The percentage of women holding these positions increased from 25 percent to 27 percent during the same period.

· The NBA increased in its percentage of people of color holding team professional administrative positions since the last Report Card with over 28 percent, up two percent from the previous season and setting the all-time record for the NBA for race. The percentage of women holding these posts decreased to 40 percent from last year’s 41 percent.

· As of the end of the 2007-08 season, 58 percent of the NBA’s referees were white, 37 percent were African-American, and five percent were Latino. Of the 59 referees, one was a woman.

Let me know if you are surprised by any of the findings or if you believe the NBA could be doing more on this front.

I’m back. No, they didn’t send me to Europe or anything like that. I just had five consecutive days off to enjoy with the family and spent the entire time avoiding my laptop.

Not much going on these days.

Donnie Walsh is down in Orlando for the day most draft hopefuls dread. They will be accurately measured in every direction, thereby erasing the questionable numbers listed in college media guides. A lot of guys come up short.

And there’s no excuse for being overweight.

Most of the players who’ve declared for the draft and signed with a reputable agent have been working out daily with strength and conditioning experts and basketball coaches, who are getting them prepped for predraft workouts that begin next week.

It will be interesting to see who comes in for the Knicks.

Agents play all kinds of positioning games, so there’s a chance they won’t get a look at players like Jerryd Bayless and O.J. Mayo, who might be gone five picks into the draft.

Walsh isn’t going to be sitting around in Orlando just watching the drills and games. Since the Knicks don’t have a second-rounder, he can let the scouts do their work and concentrate on starting conversations with the powers that be around the league. The value of each player on the roster needs to be assessed before any deals come together.

It’s not a complicated process.

Whatta ya give me for Stephon Marbury? Do you like Renaldo Balkman.

Before they head for training camp, the Knicks need to unload some of the duplicate talents, and that goes beyond Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry. There’s no reason to hang onto Marbury, Jamal Crawford and Nate Robinson. Same goes for Balkman and Quentin Richardson and Wilson Chandler.

I’m sure the Knicks will be a part of every rumor, which is something Walsh didn’t have to deal with on a grand scale in Indiana. And since there will no doubt be all kinds of hot stove blog proposals, remember this, don’t concoct any deals that  add to the bottom line in New York beyond 2010.

I spent a good part of my afternoon yesterday killing time in the Yankees clubhouse, talking with other writers about who the Knicks might  grab in the upcoming draft.

We all know they would like to find a better alternative to Stephon Marbury.

The problem is, there’s no sure way to figure out who’s going to become a playmaker in the NBA based on very short college resumes. Look at the list, there’s a lot of combo guards on there. And while scoring is very much part of the position, Mike D’Antoni needs some balance.

Let’s use the Steve Nash example. He draws the defense in when he gets inside the lane. He forces the defense to rotate when he steps beyond the arc. That’s because Nash is a reliable scorer.  When the defense rotates, he exploits those shifts with a great court vision and precise passing.

How many in this class are capable of running a team?

What the Knicks don’t need right now is another Jamal Crawford or Nate Robinson. Bringing in somebody in that mold would not help the situation. The question is what kind of players will prospects like Jerryd Bayless, O.J. Mayo, Russell Westbrook and Eric Gordon become?

“There’s an awful lot of point guards in the pros right now who were combo guards in college, and the reason is, normally the best player on the team is counted on to score,” Knicks president Donnie Walsh said. “Chauncey Billups is a good example of that. You don’t have to have a distinctive point guard. That’s not what most NBA teams end up doing.”

Did you make the connection?

Chicago gets the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming draft, which means Mike D’Antoni probably could’ve been a contender next season. Needless to say, the question was raised.

“That’s a layup for you guys,” he said with a laugh.

Donnie Walsh didn’t appear to be rattled by dropping a spot in the order. He didn’t expect to get a good bounce when the Ping-Pong balls were put into motion.

“I just didn’t want to drop two or three spots, so I was happy,” he said. “I gave up on being lucky. To me, it’s all hard work. I just really wanted to know what the pick was.”

Walsh might keep the pick. He might trade it. Those decisions will come later, perhaps as the names start dropping of the board. There wasn’t a lot of discussion tonight about individuals, but that will come in the days ahead. In the meantime, keep dropping names from the previous entry. Lets us know who you like at No. 6.

Now we know.

Donnie Walsh is left with the sixth pick.

So where do they go? Best player available? Need? Who do you like?

Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose are no longer within reach. Jarryd Bayless is sitting right behind the only locks in the draft. Brook Lopez is the leading big man. O.J. Mayo is already making headlines. Danilo Gallinari is on the radar. Eric Gordon is poised to make an impact. Kevin Love is making strides. D.J. Augustin is learning to lead. Anthony Randolph is coming in with room to grow.

Like any of those guys?

There’s nothing more fun than driving to Secaucus, N.J. on a rainy spring day, but the gang’s all here.

Donnie Walsh is up in the conference room. There’s no telling how far along the process is, or whether there’s any reason to break into a celebratory dance. Mike D’Antoni is working the dining room, and will soon land on the dais. He didn’t bring any lucky charms.

I kind of like that approach.

Since the Knicks don’t have a second-round pick, it doesn’t sound like they’ll have a major presence in Orlando at the pre-draft camp. D’Antoni isn’t planning on heading that way. He’s more concerned with getting the family settled in New York and getting to work on that end.

Hoping to stop the usual rumors, the NBA has allowed select individuals to chronicle the real draft lottery over the years. It’s not a terribly complicated process, but the league wants to make sure the loyal fans are certain there’s no way to steal a moment in history.

And that explains the presence of attorneys and accountants.

Essentially, a representative from each lottery team will gather in a conference room tonight at NBA Entertainment headquarters in Secaucus, N.J. in advance of the 8 p.m. telecast. Each is assigned a number of four-digit combinations based on the standings.

Donnie Walsh is going to be looking at 76 lucky numbers.

They let the Ping-Pong balls mix for a prescribed amount of time while everybody takes a deep breath and dreams of a better future with Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose. And then, up come the numbers. The process is repeated twice more for the second and third picks.

Most of us don’t get to see the real celebrations.

The insiders are sworn to secrecy and cannot leave to join the festivities downstairs until after the broadcast is complete, so the reactions you see on the dais tonight are genuine. If a cell phone sees the light of day in the conference room, league officials have Robert Horry come over and lay a hard foul on the offending party.

Most of the media watch from inside the studio. I’m heading down later this afternoon. We’ll be in touch.

And if you haven’t chimed in on the Rose vs. Beasley debate started in the previous post, by all means, do so now.

Is your heart rate climbing? Are your fingers crossed?

With the Knicks already working to restore credibility and escape salary cap hell, they have to find an impact player in the upcoming draft. Success in tomorrow night’s NBA Draft Lottery could make the process a lot easier for Donnie Walsh.

Got any good conspiracy theories?

I suppose we should quickly dismiss the frozen envelope notion. The league now relies on Ping-Pong balls and men in cheap suits from Ernst and Young.

Essentially, the Knicks have a 7.6 percent chance of getting to pick between Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose on June 26. That’s not much to hand your hopes on. According to the league experts I’ve spoken with in the last couple of weeks, there might be eight players in this class with the ability to make a real difference in the next season or two.

There are varying opinions about who’s ranked 3 through 8 on that list.

We’ll have plenty of time for dissecting that issue once the order has been set. Actually, we probably have too much time.

Here’s a little more from Walsh, speaking last week about his draft philosophy:

“I think you’ve got to take the best player,” Walsh said. “You’ve got to consider taking the best player unless you look at it and somebody just fits with you because you’re at a high level up there, somebody who can fit with you and make you a better ballclub, but usually, you look at the best player.”

Just for kicks, let’s say Beasley comes in with hall-of-fame potential and Rose comes in with all-star potential. Who are you taking?

Unlike a week ago there’s not a lot going on. I did come across this story in the wire about Quentin Richardson working out in Chicago with a certain member of the 2010 free agent class.

By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Sports Writer

“Anybody who knows Coach D knows he’s impossible not to like,” Richardson said. “He’s a great guy, so right off the bat we know it’s going to be a lot of fun. The best thing myself and the rest of the players can do is do what I’m doing now — get in the gym and get prepared for whatever Coach D wants us to do.”

Now, before anybody starts to believe Q is going to connect 226 times from behind the arc, remind youself of what’s happened since that season. Richardson had back surgery a year ago. He missed 17 games this season due to a hyper-extended left elbow, strained right knee tendon, flu-like symptoms, sprained right ankle, concussion and sprained left ankle.

The uninsurable contract guarantees he’ll be coming back.

Richardson, though, has some value. I can’t think of a better person to come off the bench and give the Knicks whatever they might be lacking. He still does a lot to contribute on the court even when the shot isn’t dropping. Richardson actually knows a thing or two about defense and rebounding.

I really can’t find anything bad to say about Mike D’Antoni, who actually spent time on the phone today going one-on-one with all of the Knicks beat writers.

We’re not used to random acts of kindness.

Of course, I’ll figure out something edgey to fill this space the first time the Knicks lose 124-112.

Nothing with D’Antoni feels rehearsed, and that’s kind of refreshing. There was no hard news to share today, just a chance to get into topics left uncovered after the press conference. It sounds like the coaching staff isn’t likely to come together until after Phoenix hires a replacement and contract issues are resolved. He’s more concerned with finding a place to live here in Westchester and meeting with the players to share a little enthusiasm.

There’s been no finger pointing.

D’Antoni freely acknowledges the mess he’s inheriting, but spins it forward. Since there wasn’t a lot of accountability here last season, I was curious about the way he polices the locker room.

“I treat them like men,” he said. “I expect to be treated with the same kind of courtesy. I’m not a disciplinarian in the fact that I’m not a screamer. It’s not like my way or the highway. I just think, ‘Hey guys, this is the way we’re going to get it done.’  And if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, and we’ve got to take care of the problem. I expect them to want to do the right thing. It doesn’t have to be confrontational. I think everybody wants direction. And they’re going to screw up once in a while, but we’ll try to set a positive atmosphere where they can function, and then it’s up to them to take the last step.”