Kathy Behrens leaving NBA after a 26-year run will mark the departure of one of the league office’s highest-ranking women and the architect of its modern community outreach. Colleagues were notified Tuesday, and she plans to exit at the end of the year.
Behrens, who has served as President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs since 2015, said the decision followed a milestone year for her family and career. She called her time at the league an “incredible experience,” noting the work’s meaning and the people she has worked with, while adding that it feels like the right moment to pursue other things.
Kathy Behrens leaving NBA after decades of impact
Among her signature achievements, Behrens created NBA Cares, the league’s flagship community initiative. During the pandemic, she also oversaw the establishment of the NBA Foundation and the National Basketball Social Justice Coalition.
Commissioner Adam Silver praised Behrens for what he described as an extraordinary career. In a memo to staff, he said she helped generations of players navigate their careers, broaden interests beyond basketball, and prepare for life after the game. He called her a trusted colleague, a friend, and a strong advocate for basketball’s power to improve lives.
Path to the league office
Behrens grew up playing basketball in New York before the state held a girls championship, then competed in college well before the women’s game reached today’s popularity. After studying education at the University of Hartford, she developed an interest in politics and served as student government president.
She began her career as a fundraiser with United Way in New York, later joining Gov. Mario Cuomo’s administration for more than six years. After Cuomo’s 1994 reelection loss, she became executive director of New York Cares, a nonprofit that partnered with the NBA during the 1998 All-Star festivities in New York. She joined the league office a couple of years later, beginning a close working relationship with then-Commissioner David Stern.
Building NBA Cares
The name NBA Cares was inspired by New York Cares, a tribute Stern encouraged despite Behrens’ initial hesitation. Launched in 2005, the program has since generated hundreds of millions of dollars for organizations in need and logged more than 6.5 million service hours by NBA personnel.
Behrens said the program’s enduring legacy is a point of pride. She recalled a Finals tradition shared with Dan Rube, an executive vice president and general counsel, where they reminded each other never to take part in the NBA for granted. That gratitude, she said, makes leaving difficult, but it is time to let others carry the work forward.
