Basketball David Stern NBA

Former NBA Commissioner David Stern Dies Aged 77

January 3, 2020

David Stern, former Commissioner of the National Basketball Association, passed away on the first of January at the age of 77 following a brain haemorrhage suffered in mid December.

Stern, the longtime Commissioner, transformed the NBA and bought it into the modern era while developing the sport massively both in the United States and globally.

He also helped to create the WNBA and took the game abroad for the first time, with regular season fixtures being played in Japan, Mexico, England and later this month in France.

His tenure was not without controversy, as he oversaw the acrimonious relocation of Seattle’s franchise to Oklahoma City, a refereeing match-fixer and a number of player lockouts.

Adam Silver, NBA Commissioner said in a statement:

“For 22 years, I had a courtside seat to watch David in action. He was a mentor and one of my dearest friends. We spent countless hours in the office, at arenas and on planes wherever the game would take us. 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.

“Every member of the NBA family is the beneficiary of David’s vision, generosity and inspiration.  Our deepest condolences go out to David’s wife, Dianne, their sons, Andrew and Eric, and their extended family, and we share our grief with everyone whose life was touched by him.”

Basketball David Stern NBA