NBA Executive Inspired By Baseball's Jackie Robinson

Larry Miller has moved from Nike to the Portland Trail Blazers.

David Williams
The Commercial Appeal

Larry Miller had a great job. He was "comfortable." He was vice president and general manager of Nike Basketball, after a long stint heading the company's Brand Jordan division.

And so when a new job opportunity arose this year - president of the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers - he wrestled with the decision.

Should he leave his "comfortable" existence for the challenge of the unknown? The answer - yes - came as the image of a picture in his office popped into his head: a picture of Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball's color line.

"He's opening the door going into the Dodgers locker room on his first day as a Dodger," said Miller, guest speaker at Friday's Southern Heritage Classic Nike Classic Coaches Luncheon at the Memphis Marriott Downtown.

"That really said to me, 'You know, if Jackie Robinson had taken the easy route, if Jackie Robinson had taken the comfortable route, we wouldn't be where we are.

"At that particular point, it became clear to me what I had to do."

Miller, 58, a Philadelphia native, took the Trail Blazers job in late June. He's running the business operations of the franchise - and, he's hopeful, opening a few doors.

"I've been blessed to be the first black person in a number of situations," he said. "When I was at Jantzen, I was the first black executive there ... When I came to Nike a little over 10 years ago, I was the first black vice president in the history of the company.

"To me, this job with the Trail Blazers was an opportunity to open another door that hadn't been open to us before. There are other black presidents in the NBA, but not in Portland.

"And for me, this was an opportunity to send a message, specifically to young people, that you can accomplish things and you can have the kind of life you want to have. You can be involved in sports and you can make decent money - and you don't have to be an athlete or you don't have to be a rapper. You don't have to be an entertainer."

His decision made, Miller said, a burden was lifted.

"I looked at it as, 'Hey, you know, I've been blessed to have been put in this situation,'" he said. "For me not to take advantage of this opportunity to send a message to young people about what we can accomplish, then I'm not taking advantage of the blessing that's been put on me.

"And I'm scared of that - because if you stop taking advantage of them they might not come any more."