(Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
Legendary former NBA Commissioner David Stern died on Wednesday due to complications from a brain hemorrhage suffered on Dec. 12. He was 77 years old. Stern’s wife, Dianne, and their family were with him at his bedside, the league said in a statement.
Stern is by far the longest tenured commissioner in league history, serving for 30 years from 1984 to 2014. Stern leaves a legacy as one of the most influential figures in the history of American sports, and was a key figure in the NBA’s expansion into the global brand that it is today. Under his leadership, NBA teams exploded in value and popularity.
“For 22 years, I had a courtside seat to watch David in action,” current NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He was a mentor and one of my dearest friends.
Silver served under Stern in a variety of capacities starting in 1992, before he was named as Stern’s successor in 2014.
“We spent countless hours in the office, at arenas and on planes wherever the game would take us,” Silver said. “Like every NBA legend, David had extraordinary talents, but with him it was always about the fundamentals — preparation, attention to detail, and hard work.
“David took over the NBA in 1984 with the league at a crossroads. But over the course of 30 years as Commissioner, he ushered in the modern global NBA. He launched groundbreaking media and marketing partnerships, digital assets and social responsibility programs that have brought the game to billions of people around the world. Because of DAvid, the NBA is a truly global brand — making him not only one of the greatest sports commissioners of all time but also one of the most influential business leaders of his generation.”
The Warriors and Steve Kerr posted messages remembering Stern on Twitter shortly after news broke. Kerr said Stern made the greatest impact on the game of basketball of any non-player.
“We all owe him a great debt of gratitude for his service, for his impact and for everything he has done for our own individual lives,” Kerr said.
We lost an icon of our sport today with the passing of Commissioner Emeritus David Stern. David was a visionary and innovator in every sense of the language, and the success of our league today is a reflection of his leadership.
We extend our thoughts & prayers to his family. pic.twitter.com/qk7NvRvdmH
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 1, 2020
Steve Kerr on the legacy of Commissioner Emeritus David Stern. pic.twitter.com/kUWpEbfBr2
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) January 1, 2020
