NEW YORK (June 6, 2025) - The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today announced that Jacinda Ortiz has been named the Vice President, Communications. In this role, Ortiz will oversee all communications efforts to represent and support the collective voice of NBA players while directing communications strategy related to the NBPA and its divisions.

“We are excited to welcome Jacinda to the NBPA,” said David Kelly, General Counsel and Managing Director of the NBPA. “She has a deep understanding of the evolving media landscape, and her robust experience in the sports industry makes her the perfect fit to lead our communications strategy and storytelling efforts, and to elevate our players as leaders on-and-off the court.”

Ortiz joins the NBPA after nearly seven years with the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she most recently served as the Senior Director of Media, Direct-to-Consumer (DTC), and Entertainment Communications. During her tenure with the NBA, Ortiz was instrumental in the growth of the media and entertainment business and led external communications for the league’s most recent media rights negotiations and rollout of the 11-year partnerships with Disney, Amazon and NBCUniversal.  

While at the league office, Ortiz also spearheaded promotional strategy for league and team DTC products, local media distribution, television viewership, technology and network partnerships, celebrity integration, and major marketing campaigns. She also worked closely with player representatives and NBA teams to create national, lifestyle and entertainment media opportunities for players in addition to providing on-site media operations support for NBA tentpole events. With a passion for player advocacy, Ortiz also created the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion award to recognize current players who demonstrate a commitment to bringing awareness to inequalities.

“I’m thrilled to join the NBPA leadership team and leverage my experience to elevate the voices and influence of the players,” said Jacinda Ortiz. “I look forward to collaborating with the entire NBPA organization and its members to showcase the profound impact NBA players have around the world, not just as athletes, but as cultural leaders.”

Prior to her role at the NBA, Ortiz held communications positions at CBS Sports and Fox Sports, where she contributed to publicity for live NFL, college football, and college basketball games, as well as professional golf events.

She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Master of Arts in strategic communications from High Point University.

Ortiz will officially start with the NBPA in early July.

About NBPA:

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is the union for current professional basketball players in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Established in 1954, the NBPA’s mission is to protect and advance the rights of our players. They are the game.

The NBPA advocates on behalf of the best interests of all NBA players, including negotiating collective bargaining agreements, filing grievances on behalf of the players, counseling players on benefits, and educating on post-NBA career opportunities. Business opportunities are generated by THINK450, the group licensing and partnership engine of the NBPA. With more than 80 active partnerships, THINK450 is dedicated to uncovering shared interests between players and leading brands to build more engaging collaborations.

The NBPA Foundation is dedicated to preserving the legacy of its members by supporting and assisting people, communities, and organizations worldwide. It spotlights and amplifies the global initiatives of professional basketball players, driving positive change through community building, charitable endeavors, and social entrepreneurship.

Media Contact: communications@nbpa.com

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