In an interview with Chris Ryan, Becky Bonner, who is the Director of Player Development and Quality Control for the Orlando Magic of the NBA, discusses how the world of professional basketball has adjusted to the COVID-19 pandemic, describes the challenges of being a woman in the male dominated environment of the NBA, explains the benefits of having women in management positions in professional sports, and speculates about her becoming the first general manager in the NBA.
Becky Bonner is a graduate of Concord High School in Concord, NH where she won basketball scholarships to Stanford and Boston University. She has worked as an assistant coach on the college level at Maryland and Louisville. After six years working in Basketball Operations International for the NBA League Office, Becky joined the Orlando Magic in 2017. Many predict that Becky Bonner will be the first woman to be a general manager in the NBA.
Like most of us, Becky thought that the COVID shutdown would only be for a little while; but, one year later, players and support staff are tested daily—even off days. Players are tested twice each day, and staff once each day. In order to keep teams on the basketball court, strict protocols are necessary.
Becky Bonner opens up about the challenges of breaking barriers for women in professional sports. “There are good days and bad days. There are days when I think ‘Oh, No! I don’t think that I can do this! I should quit!’ and days when I think that I can run the world.”
Through the ups and downs, she stays passionate about her love of the game and keeps moving forward.
When she was asked about not having a female support group in such a male dominated, competitive environment, Becky Bonner admitted that it was difficult at first; but, gradually, the Orlando Magic have brought in more women into the organization.
However, when she goes into many meetings, she is the only woman present. As the team is making important decisions about players to be drafted or trades to be made, Becky feels that her opinions are valued, and she is treated like an equal.
When she was asked about the future role of women in sports, Becky called for more openness in the interview and hiring process, and she explained how having diverse perspectives in an organization can prevent mistakes produced by like-minded thinking.
In the final segment of the interview, Becky Bonner speculated about whether she is ready to be the general manager of an NBA team. She points out that she has worked in similar jobs for as long as some people who are currently general managers. Becky also acknowledges that you never know if a person is ready for a promotion until you give them a chance.