Meet The Highest-Ranking Black Executive In Sports

On a cold winter day in January 2014, Mark Tatum sat nervously at NBA headquarters in New York. At the time, he was the league’s executive vice president in charge of global marketing partnerships and for days he knew a big decision about his NBA career was coming. Adam Silver, who had just been named NBA Commissioner and chief executive of the league, told Tatum that he was being considered for the deputy commissioner role. And on January 31, the league’s owners were casting their final votes.

The final tally was 30-0 and 12 years later, Tatum remains the highest-ranking Black executive in sports.

“When I was growing up in the business,” Tatum tells Forbes, “I never dreamed that becoming the deputy commissioner was an option. My dream was to become the head of corporate sponsorship in a league. So, for me, getting that phone call was a little bit of a pinch myself [moment]. I can’t believe this is actually happening. And from a representation standpoint, I knew the importance of the moment.”

Tatum is tasked with growing the NBA’s business and the affairs of its 30 franchises, which are worth more than $5.4 billion on average, according to Forbes. Additionally, the NBA operates a league in China that’s valued at more at a reported $5 billion, a league in Africa worth more than $1 billion, and is scheduled to start a league in Europe by October 2027.

“You’re looking at a $180 billion market cap company,” Tatum says of the NBA. “I think what you’re seeing is people are very bullish on the prospects of the NBA. We’re a global sport.”

The son of a Jamaican father and Asian mother, Tatum was born in Vietnam and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He’s the second Black executive to serve as the NBA’s Deputy Commissioner. The first was Simon Gourdine, who took the role in 1974 and passed away in 2012. “It’s a critical part of the business world and oftentimes does not get the attention that it deserves,” Tatum says of Black Business Month, which was launched in 2004 and celebrated each August. “I think people underestimate the impact that Black businesses have on the economy and have on this country,” he adds. “There needs to be more education on the importance and the contributions of Black businesses.”

Tatum spoke with The Enterprise Zone podcast about what the Deputy Commissioner role means to him. He also shared the five Black business leaders who inspire him:

In 2007, Grain started Grain Management, a private equity firm that invests in telecommunications infrastructure like fiber networks, wireless spectrum, and cellphone towers. Grain, 64, has a net worth of $2.4 billion, according to Forbes.

“David is just so principled, so down to earth, so disciplined as an investor, but also very giving,” Tatum says. “He gives a lot back to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. He’s also somebody who, in his hiring, makes sure that there’s great representation of African-Americans within his company.”

“David is just so principled, so down to earth, so disciplined as an investor, but also very giving,” Tatum says. “He gives a lot back to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. He’s also somebody who, in his hiring, makes sure that there’s great representation of African-Americans within his company.”

Johnson, 77, is a ForbesBLK 50 honoree and co-founded BET in 1980 with her then-husband, Robert Johnson. Viacom bought BET for $3 billion in 2001. Today, she is one of the few Black female billionaires and owns stakes in three professional sports teams: the NBA’s Wizards, the WNBA’s Mystics, and the NHL’s Capitals. Johnson also founded the Salamander Collection, a hospitality company.

“I learned from Sheila the power of relationships and the power of putting her money where her mouth is,” Tatum says. “She was a believer in the WNBA when others were questioning and doubting the power of women’s sports.” He adds, “What I learned from her is really don’t give up on ideas; continue to invest if you believe in them, continue to market these things. Over time, people will come around to your way of thinking.”

“I learned from Sheila the power of relationships and the power of putting her money where her mouth is,” Tatum says. “She was a believer in the WNBA when others were questioning and doubting the power of women’s sports.” He adds, “What I learned from her is really don’t give up on ideas; continue to invest if you believe in them, continue to market these things. Over time, people will come around to your way of thinking.”

Lewis, 86, started his career as a financial analyst before founding Essence magazine in 1969. He built the publication for Black women into a major digital platform that now includes a popular music festival in New Orleans.

“I think the thing that inspired me,” says Tatum, “[Lewis] took this idea, he took this opportunity, created a product around it to fill a gap, then he created a platform around it.”

“I think the thing that inspired me,” says Tatum, “[Lewis] took this idea, he took this opportunity, created a product around it to fill a gap, then he created a platform around it.”

Reginald F. Lewis was featured on the cover of Forbes in December 1987.

Reginald Lewis, Former CEO, TLC Beatrice International Holdings

Lewis, a former corporate lawyer, made history in 1987 as the first Black American to own and run a billion-dollar company. He led the $985 million leveraged buyout of Beatrice International, a food conglomerate. In 1991, the Baltimore native joined The Forbes 400 with a net worth of $340 million.

“In terms of representation,” Tatum says, “growing up, when I first started getting into the business world, he was somebody that I admired from afar because here was this brother who was on the Forbes list. Up until that point, that hadn’t been seen before.”

“In terms of representation,” Tatum says, “growing up, when I first started getting into the business world, he was somebody that I admired from afar because here was this brother who was on the Forbes list. Up until that point, that hadn’t been seen before.”

Robert F. Smith, Founder, Chairman and CEO, Vista Equity Partners, speaks onstage during the 2025 ForbesBLK Summit at Morehouse College in October 2025.

Robert Smith, Founder, Vista Equity Partners

Smith, 63, grew up in Colorado and founded Vista Equity Partners, the largest Black-owned private equity firm in the U.S., managing over $100 billion in assets. Today, Smith’s net worth is estimated at $10 billion, making him the fifth richest among the world’s 27 Black billionaires.

“Robert gives back to young Black entrepreneurs,” Tatum says. “He shows up. There are a handful of events that I’ve been to where there have been other senior Black executives; some that are aspiring executives. When Robert walks into the room, he talks to everybody. He shows up in those rooms. He shows up in those places, and he is passionate about creating more wealth in the Black community. I don’t think that gets a whole lot of (media attention).”

“Robert gives back to young Black entrepreneurs,” Tatum says. “He shows up. There are a handful of events that I’ve been to where there have been other senior Black executives; some that are aspiring executives. When Robert walks into the room, he talks to everybody. He shows up in those rooms. He shows up in those places, and he is passionate about creating more wealth in the Black community. I don’t think that gets a whole lot of (media attention).”

This article was originally published on Forbes.com