In a surprise move, Tamika Tremaglio is stepping down as the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and Andre Iguodala is stepping in as the acting director until a permanent replacement can be found.
Tremaglio led the NBPA through negotiations for the new Collective Bargaining Agreement last April and talks about her potentially stepping down began not long after that, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
“I am honored to take on this role and serve the players, who are the heart and soul of the NBA,” said Iguodala in a statement announcing the change. “I’m presented with a unique opportunity to take all that I’ve learned as a player over the course of my 19-year career and apply it to creating an even stronger and more influential union for current and future generations of players. I am thrilled to work alongside our extremely committed Executive Committee to lead the brotherhood through its next stage of advancement and development.”
Iguodala was a long-time NBPA executive committee member as a player during his 18-season NBA career, but this is a different role. With the CBA set, there will not be significant short-term changes in how things are done. There will be an extensive national search to find the union’s next executive director. It’s unknown if Iguodala will throw his hat in the ring to take over the job permanently.
“Having a former player lead as Executive Director of the union is an exciting proposition,” said CJ McCollum, NBPA President, in a statement. “We thank Tamika for her service and leadership throughout the CBA process and are thrilled to welcome Andre as Acting Executive Director.”
“I am extremely proud of what we accomplished together in collective bargaining and over the past two years as a whole. With a new CBA in place, I am ready to move on from this role and pursue other opportunities,” said Tremaglio. “I am grateful to CJ, Andre, the entire Executive Committee, and all of the players for the opportunity to serve them these past few years. I’m confident that Andre will flourish in this role and continue to empower the players and this union to reach their full potential.”