Gay people have made strides in many sectors of American professional life. An openly gay man runs Apple, presides as the governor of Colorado, and an open lesbian runs a Fortune 500 company. But in the highest reaches of men's basketball, gay people are almost invisible.
In 2011, 58-year-old Phoenix Suns CEO Rick Welts came out, becoming the league's first openly gay executive. A longtime marketing whiz who hatched the idea for an All-Star Weekend, Welts and his announcement were well-received in league circles. That was 11 years ago.
Business operations, where Welts worked, and basketball operations (known to most fans as "the front office") have long been separate entities in the NBA.