Hunter fires family members, but he isn't admitting any wrongdoing in hiring them in the first place. National Basketball Players Association executive director Billy Hunter released both his daughter and his daughter-in-law from their duties at the NBPA, but insisted they "were highly qualified, not overpaid, and were contributing members of the NBPA staff," according to a Jan. 30, 2013 report by Businessweek.
Billy Hunter made the decision to fire his family members after a review criticized his hiring process. The review by the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP alleged that Hunter's hiring practices, specifically hiring friends and family, were damaging to the National Basketball Players Association:
"The appearance of favoritism has damaged the union. Mr. Hunter's pattern of involving friends and family in union business contributed to a deep rift among the NBPA staff . . . [Hunter's hiring practices] created the appearance that he operated the union in part for the benefit of his family and friends."
The two women will both be gone by the end of February. Robyn Hunter's last day of employment was Jan. 25, 2013. She was the union's benefits director and had an annual salary of $82,954, earning more than $200,000 since 2009, reported ESPN.
Megan Inaba will depart on February 17. She is currently the director of special events and the wife of Todd Hunter, Billy's son. Her annual salary is $173,219. She has earned more than $1.2 million as a NBPA employee. Inaba was employed there before her marriage to Hunter.
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