In the Spirit of Giving

Following a lead from the Edge of Sports, I did some research on the political contributions of the NBA’s famous faces. Can’t say it will blow your mind, but it’s definitely worth the read. Among these very tall men, the most common denominator is that they’ve supported Bill Bradley’s political aspirations over the years. Shockingly, nobody on the list gave to Nader in 2000 or Kucinich in ‘04.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: The sky-hooking historian gave $1000 to Bradley’s campaign for presidency in 2000.

Red Auerbach: Red broke the bank with $250 to a Massachusetts Democrat running for Congress in 1992.

Charles Barkley: D-Wade’s commercial father offered $2000 to the presidential campaign of John Edwards in ’04.

Larry Brown: The former everything donated a cool grand to Bradley’s 2000 drive.

Jerry Buss: Dr. Buss has given a lot—too many in fact to list here. Since 1978, Buss has sent out $23,550 in campaign contributions. Of those monies, $20,750 have gone to Republican campaigns and G.O.P. special interest groups, including a grand to Bob Dole in ’96 and his sexually-frustrated spouse in 2000.

Mark Cuban: The owner’s fan doled out a grand to Republican Orrin Hatch’s senatorial run in 1996. The same year, however, Cuban gave $5000 to the special interest Campaign for America’s Future. Don’t know nothing about the group, but their website reads: “America's Future insists that the question of falling wages and rising insecurity be placed at the center of our national debate. We challenge those who suggest that nothing can be done and expose the conservative agenda that has made things worse. America's Future works to revitalize a progressive agenda, and fights to make this economy work for working people once again. We engage citizens, activists and political leaders in a renewed debate about the kind of country—and the kind of world—we want to build for the generations yet to come.”

Vlade Divac: The former smoker and Laker great donated $10,000 to the DNC in 2000. Good for you, Vlade.

Clyde Drexler: Here’s a surprising one. The Glide gave $2000 to W’s reelection campaign! I suppose Clyde really cares about the world’s underprivileged populations.

Dr. J: Since 1986, Erving has given small contributions to Democrats running for the House in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Inexplicably, Julius also donated $300 to Republican Arlen Specter’s 1990 run for Senate in Pennsylvania.

Coach Jackson: The Barnes & Noble Buddhist has donated $4455 to the various campaigns of Bill Bradley since 1978. He also gave a thousand bucks to a House Democrat in Washington state in 2000.

Michael Jordan: Wouldn’t it be great if the NBA’s most recent bachelor started doing wind sprints on the beach with Matthew McConaughey? Or began sipping cocktails with Clooney all over the world? What if he was like, “Fuck Derek Jeter! What’s Biel’s number?” Wouldn’t it also be great if Jordan gave $10,000 to Barack Obama’s campaign? Well, he did in 2004.

George Karl: Carlo Rossi gave $2000 to the presidential campaign of John Edwards. He also donated $2000 to a republican in Wisconsin in 2004. In 1996, Karl once ate 12 Big-Macs in under a minute.

Bobby Knight: $2000 to W. in 2004. No surprise there.

Karl Malone: This redneck donated a total of $8000 to Bush’s 2004 campaign. He gave an additional $4000 to the RNC. In 2006, Malone offered $5000 to a political action committee called The Commonwealth Group, a terrorist organization dedicated to the Republican Party and revisionist Holocaust history. In 2008, Malone plans to stop giving money and to start looking into more efficient ways to spread global hate.

Al Michaels: Not really a hoops guy, but it’s worth knowing he gave two grand to Bush and Cheney in ’04. He plans on going to hell when he dies.

Zo: Take a guess. Wrong. Try again. Incorrect. $25,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in 2004. Are those wings I see sprouting from your rippled back, Mr. Mourning?

Gregg Popovich: I was sort of surprised here. I had him pegged for a red-state man. $2000 to John Edwards in ’04.

Pat Riley: Mr. Corleone donated $2000 to a Democratic senatorial campaign in 2004. Later that year, Riley gave $2754 to the hilariously-named special interest group, America Coming Together. In addition to financing synchronized pornography, the group raised money to beat W. in 2004.

Jalen Rose: John Edwards received $2000 from Rose in 2004.

Byron Scott: He anted a grand for Bradley’s 2000 presidential run.

David Stern: The Commish has donated a remarkable $835,800 to political campaigns since 1978. 98% of that money has gone to Democrats, including $10,500 to Harold Ford in ’06, $1500 to Pelosi in ’04, and $2000 to Russ Feingold the same year.