By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The EuroLeague Players Association is in constant contact with the NBPA (National Basketball Players Association) building bridges between the two sides of the Atlantic, as EuroLeague players are on the verge of getting their first-ever CBA with the top European league.
NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts talked about this collaboration and the relationship between the two associations in the official ELPA podcast.
Per ELPA: This season ELPA launched its own podcast with the desire to give a voice to current players, talk with them about their basketball journeys, and discuss various on and off the court topics. ELPA Podcast is also hosting former players and other personalities from the world of basketball. In the latest episode, ELPA Podcast is featuring Michele Roberts, Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association.
Michele Roberts talks about her journey to become the leading personality of the NBPA and gives her view of the union and things that they have improved.
“One of the things we wanted to improve was to better help players who are transitioning from life on the court to the life off the court. It’s a difficult time to retire. But we all have to retire at some point. When you have to accept the fact that you are no longer athletically able to perform the way you were before, that’s tough”.
She also explains their plans for the future and how she built relationships with players.
“When I got here, players were disappointed and quite frankly they were a bit impatient. I had to, and my staff had to, regain credibility with the players. It took a lot of talking, a lot of visiting the locker rooms, being available in different venues where we knew players are going to be, so they could see that we actually care about what happens to them. So we were visible, we were accessible”.
Michele Roberts has also been supportive of ELPA and building a bridge between NBA and European Basketball.
“We have regular conversations with ELPA. We have assisted them in some aspects. When they come to the USA, we have meetings and support them. It’s not our place to try to organize anybody, but it is our place to support an athlete in any place in the world who is trying to organize”.
Listen to the full conversation with Michelle Roberts.
Previous episodes featured big names from the world of European basketball, such as Gigi Datome, Toko Shengelia, Nikola Vujcic, and Kyle Hines, and also an episode with die-hard basketball fan Darko Peric, who is known for his acting role in the famous TV series Money Heist (La casa de papel).
All ELPA Podcast episodes are available on various podcast apps and www.elplayers.com.