Barbara Bush Enjoys Her Dream Job at NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles
NBA All-Star Game Set to Make a Splash at Intuit Dome
The NBA All-Star Game is just days away, and excitement is palpable, particularly for Barbara Bush, the league’s vice president of social impact and daughter of former President George W. Bush. Describing her role as her "dream job," Bush is eagerly anticipating the event.
“I played basketball until fifth grade. I grew up in Dallas, where everyone watched the Mavericks. When I moved to Austin, it was all about UT,” she noted, referring to the University of Texas. “I never thought I’d work in basketball. For most of my career, I’ve worked in global health with nonprofits. During COVID, I started paying more attention to the NBA as it utilized its arenas for vaccination sites and voting centers.”
Bush’s journey into the NBA began while she was representing a foundation at meetings with league executives. “I became more and more interested in what they were building,” she recalled. “So serendipitously I mentioned, ‘If you ever have an opening, I’d love to go through the recruiting process and see what happens.’ One year later, there was an opening. I applied, and I’ve been with the NBA for about three years now.”
Promoted to her current position in 2023, Bush is now overseeing this year’s All-Star youth and development programming, along with various social impact initiatives. These efforts kick off with the NBA Cares State Farm Assist Tracker Legacy Project Dedication, commemorating the YMCA’s 175th anniversary at the Weingart YMCA Wellness & Aquatic Center in South Los Angeles.
“The YMCA has been a great partner with the Clippers for years, and we feel a strong affinity for the Y, given that our sport was created there,” Bush stated. “We, the National Basketball Players Association, and the Clippers, are renovating youth-serving spaces, including a STEM lab, teen center, and basketball court.”
On Thursday evening, the All-Star Pitch Competition will showcase seven Los Angeles-based entrepreneurs presenting their business ideas to a panel of celebrity judges. Among the judges are actress Issa Rae and marketing executive Bozoma Saint John.
“It’s a ‘Shark Tank’-style competition. We had 200 companies apply, and this will be the final round where seven entrepreneurs get to pitch their businesses to some well-known judges, so I’m sure they’re going to be nerve-racked,” Bush explained. “It’s really fun and inspiring to watch entrepreneurs share their impressive businesses.”
The weekend will also feature various community-focused activities, including Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Day, where 1,000 local youth will participate in basketball clinics. The 18th annual NBA Cares Day of Service will engage 500 volunteers in building housing with Habitat for Humanity and assembling essential kits with Baby2Baby.
A Basketball Without Borders Global Camp will take place at the Lakers’ practice facility, bringing together elite high school-age prospects from around the world to participate in skills competitions, life-skills seminars, and five-on-five games.
Bush expressed particular excitement for the NBA Total Health All-Star Walk, scheduled for Sunday morning. “We’ll be working with Girltrek, a phenomenal nonprofit focused on walking as a way to maintain health,” she mentioned. “We expect 1,500 people, and it’s open to the public. NBA and WNBA legends are participating, and Evernorth Health Services will offer biometric screenings and skin cancer checks."
She emphasized the significant role the Clippers play in planning the weekend’s events and praised the franchise for its community outreach efforts. “What I love about my job is I still get to work on health and social justice issues but from a totally different vantage point,” Bush noted. “We want to ensure we leave the community better than we arrived.”
