The NBPA Reportedly Never Approved Billy Hunter’s $15 Million Contract


According to a Yahoo! report, National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter sidestepped the proper approval in order to receive his massive $15 million contract, which could be a violation of the NBPA’s constitution and may put his entire future with the union in doubt. Oops! Some details: “National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter and union general counsel Gary Hall failed to get proper player representative approval for a five-year, $15 million contract extension for Hunter in 2010, Yahoo! Sports has learned. The possible violation of the NBPA’s constitution raises questions about the legitimacy of Hunter’s contract and his future as executive director. In a copy of the NBPA constitution and by-laws, obtained by Yahoo! Sports, Article V, Section I states that ‘the appointment of an Executive Director, and the terms of his employment contract, must be approved by two-thirds (2/3) of the combined total of all Board of Player Representatives and Executive Committee members.’ Hunter signed the contract at an NBPA executive committee meeting on June 23, 2010, at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, but he and Hall, the late union general counsel, never brought the deal to a vote of the 30 team player representatives for approval, multiple sources told Yahoo! Sports. Three player representatives at the team representative meeting on June 24 told Yahoo! Sports that the issue of Hunter’s contract was never brought for a vote – nor its existence ever broached.”