The NBA All-Star Weekend from our CEO's perspective

EngageRM CEO Ned Coten reflects on attending the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, the league's 75th anniversary year, from the perspective of a former athlete, fan, and CEO.

More than a game

Alongside a 75th anniversary team announcement featuring legends from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to LeBron James, the weekend's halftime show revisited the 1967 "Muhammad Ali Summit," where Ali and civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. addressed minority rights — a reminder of the platform the NBA has long used for causes beyond basketball. A "NBA Newsmaker" panel featuring Pfizer's Global CEO and former senior Biden advisor Andy Slavitt tackled the pandemic recovery in depth, including its disproportionate impact on under-resourced communities.

Meaningful connections

Beyond the formal program, the weekend was an opportunity to reconnect and build relationships across the global basketball business, from the Spurs' RC Buford to Cleveland Cavaliers Chief Commercial Officer Shelly Cayette, who offered candid feedback on how EngageRM could do better on diversity and inclusion within its own business before looking to influence the wider industry.

Above the basketball itself, it's the NBA's willingness to use its platform for genuine change that makes the weekend special.