NBA will assess domestic abuse policy, raise awareness
NEW YORK — The NBA is continuing to assess its domestic abuse policy but has no current plans to change it, Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday.
In the wake of the Ray Rice case in the NFL that brought the issue to the forefront like never before in professional sports, Silver had said he would be re-examining his league's policy.
While a violent felony conviction leads to a 10-game suspension, the policy does not specifically address domestic abuse and no action is required on the part of the team until a ruling is made. What's more, players who have their charges lessened or plead no contest avoid punishment as well.
Yet Silver said the focus at the moment was on raising awareness around the league rather than changing the rule. To that end, the league's owners and league officials took part in a presentation about domestic abuse at Wednesday's Board of Governors meeting.
"The domestic abuse presentation was led by our executive director Kathy Behrens, and the focus is on prevention," Silver said. "This is something that I've already had several conversations with (new National Basketball Players Association executive director) Michelle Roberts and the union about. I mean, of course we can all ratchet up discipline, but the ultimate goal here is to educate our players, educate our teams so we can prevent additional incidents."
"I've spent a lot of time looking at the numbers in terms of athletes against the general population. I've had several direct discussions with (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell about what the NFL is in the process of doing. Our offices have discussed the experts that they have hired. We've brought in our own experts, and so that's where the focus is right now."
While Silver deemed it "premature" to predict whether a policy change is coming anytime soon, there are measures being taken to improve how the league handles the issue. Players will take part in an educational and training program this season, Silver said, while adding that "I think it's also raising the sensitivity of team executives so they can spot issues." A hotline will also be created for players and teams.
In the league's most recent domestic abuse case, that of Charlotte Hornets forward Jeff Taylor, the team placed him on paid leave and barred him from practice and game activities. The NBA is currently investigating his arrest in Michigan last month and the allegations being made.
Follow Sam Amick on Twitter @sam_amick.
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