When Bob Myers stepped away as the Golden State Warriors’ head of basketball operations, he said he might get back in the game someday, but he was looking for a new, different challenge, something maybe bigger than running a basketball team. For a couple of seasons, that was working at ESPN as an NBA analyst.
This is more what Myers was thinking: He is leaving ESPN to become the president of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. That’s the organization that owns the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers, NHL’s New Jersey Devils, Crystal Palace of the Premier League, and NASCAR’s Joe Gibbs Racing. Meyers will also continue to work as an adviser to Harris, who is the majority owner and managing partner of the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
“Our goal has been to hire, grow, and retain the best and brightest executives in the world and we are a stronger, more dynamic organization with the addition of Bob Myers,” Josh Harris and David Blitzer said in a combined released statement. “His experience as an architect of championship teams will complement our existing leadership structure, while also allowing HBSE to maximize opportunities across our portfolio. We’re excited to have Bob continue his storied career here at HBSE.”
After a successful career as a sports agent (focused on the NBA), Myers jumped to the Warriors’ front office. He was quickly promoted to general manager and eventually team president, and in his dozen years in the Bay Area the Warriors won four NBA titles. He was voted NBA Executive of the Year by his peers in 2015 and 2017.
“I have been fortunate to know Josh and David for a long time, and I’ve always greatly admired them and respected how they’ve built such an impressive global sports portfolio,” Myers said in a statement. “This role was intriguing because it provides the opportunity to work with some of the industry’s most talented leaders and executives across the world’s biggest sports leagues. … This is the type of challenge and opportunity I was looking for.”
Now he’s got the challenge he was seeking.
