Michele Roberts, the executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, said NBA players opted to resume the 2020 playoffs after seeing the impact their strike had on coverage of the Black Lives Matter movement following the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Roberts told David Gelles of the New York Times in an interview released Friday the situation showcased athletes' power to spark a conversation and persuade change:

"One of the reasons they decided to continue to play was because they saw the overwhelming amount of media attention that they received, and they observed the influence their behavior had on athletes in other sports. It just underscores that if they really want to influence what's happening in this country, they can, and they can do it collectively in a way that sends a message throughout the country and around the world. To the extent the players didn't appreciate their reach, they certainly do now."

In March, the NBPA announced it started a search for Roberts' replacement with the former trial lawyer set for retirement. The coronavirus pandemic halted the 2019-20 season a week later, however, and she's stayed on to help the union through important negotiations.

Roberts explained those key discussions right now surround the 2020-21 campaign, which is tentatively scheduled to tip off Dec. 1 after an abbreviated offseason.

The leader of the players union told Gelles she doesn't think that's a realistic target date and noted there's further financial uncertainty, with no guarantee fans will return to arenas in full force:

"I do think we'll have a season, but I don't think it will begin in December. Some bubble-like environment may be necessary. I suspect that we will have a hybrid environment, maybe with division bubbles that last for a certain number of months, and then we stop. But the concept of putting our players in a bubble for an entire season is unrealistic.

"There will be a revenue drop. I do see a possibility of there being some reopening of some arenas. But if we're lucky we will see 25 percent of the revenue that ordinarily comes through gate receipts, etc. That's optimistic. Hopefully we can soften the blow, but I don't see us packing arenas."

Roberts was also asked by Gelles about the limited number of Black men and women in positions of power in NBA front offices, saying teams have "no excuse" for the lack of diversity:

"When there's a challenge to diversify in other industries, you frequently hear the complaint, 'Well, it's just hard to find people that have the skill set and experience to fill these roles.' That's not something that can be claimed in this game at all. So there is no excuse. The way to remedy it is to be more inclusive. It's that's simple. Same thing with women. It just comes down to people just putting their money where their mouths are and just hiring more people of color."

Roberts has served as the NBPA executive director since July 2014. There's no formal timetable for her to step aside as the league and the union work through the complexities of the COVID-19 pandemic.