Oscar Robertson waves to the crowd during the 2024 NBA All-Star Game. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
On Monday, another lucrative season of free agency is set to begin in the NBA—and its players have Hall of Fame guard Oscar Robertson to thank for it.
In 1970, then-National Basketball Players Association president Robertson served as the lead plaintiff in an antitrust suit against the league that opened the door for a number of labor reforms—including, in 1976, free agency.
A half-century after that innovation, Robertson is receiving a prominent award for his efforts. ESPN will give him the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPYs, the network announced Monday.
"The award is given to a deserving member of the sports world who has made a difference beyond the field of play by fighting for what they believe in, ultimately impacting people worldwide," ESPN [said in a release](https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2025/06/espn-reveals-special-honorees-for-the-2025-espys-presented-by-capital-one-airing-wednesday-july-16-at-8-p-m-et-pt-on-abc-and-streaming-live-on-espn/). "As the president of the NBA Players Association from 1965 through 1974, Robertson presided over one of professional sports’ most significant labor battles—the fight for free agency."
Robertson, 86, played 14 years in the NBA for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks after decorated college and international careers. He made 12 All-Star teams and 11 All-NBA teams, and ranks fourth in league history in assists per game.