Former NBA Commissioner David Stern has died. He was 77.
David Stern, former NBA Commissioner who oversaw exponential growth of the NBA during his 30-year tenure, has passed away. Stern was 77. He was hospitalized for the past few weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following 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 league in 1984 with a 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.
Tributes from the NBA community began to pour in as the news circulated.
Dwyane Wade, Richard Jefferson and Isaiah Thomas were among the first NBA players to share their thoughts and feelings about Stern on Twitter. Bill Russell, Pau Gasol, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and more followed.
NBA media from Rachel Nichols, Bob Ryan, Zach Lowe, Kevin O’Connor, Chris Broussard, Bill Simmons, Mike Greenberg and Jay Bilas were among those who shared their sympathies for the Stern family while expressing the impact Stern had on the league.