Professional basketball players are famous for their otherworldly athletic talents and accomplishments—but many of them also are deeply committed to using their platform to improve their communities and shed light on injustice. In 2020, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), and the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) harnessed this commitment and created the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition—a nonprofit dedicated to advancing social justice and combating racial inequality.

The Power of Basketball is a book of essays written by members of this coalition and other leaders across the NBA and WNBA community—players, coaches, and executives who are committed to promoting voting rights, meaningful police reform, transforming the criminal justice system, and creating community safety. Each essay delves into a particular issue at the heart of the author’s activism and tells the personal story and motivation behind the cause they champion. With contributions from players including CJ McCollum, Malcolm Brogdon, and Tierra Ruffin-Pratt; coaches including Doc Rivers, Caron Butler, and Jamahl Mosley; and team governors including Steve Ballmer, Vivek Ranadivé, and Clara Wu Tsai, The Power of Basketball reveals the authenticity of the drive that NBA players, coaches, and executives bring to the fight for social justice even when the bright lights of NBA games are not shining.