David Stern, the former longtime commissioner of the NBA, died Wednesday following a brain hemorrhage, according to a statement from the NBA. He was 77.
Stern underwent emergency surgery after suffering a sudden brain hemorrhage on Dec. 12. The longest-tenured commissioner in NBA history, Stern served in that role for 30 years from 1984 to 2014 and is considered to be among the most important figures in the NBA.
He retired on Feb. 1, 2014, exactly 30 years after he started the job (Feb. 1, 1984) when he succeeded Larry O’Brien.
The first year of Stern’s tenure featured a first draft that included the names Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley and John Stockton.
The league’s popularity grew tremendously while Stern was at the helm, especially in the 1990s and 2000s thanks in large part to Jordan and the Bulls’ six championships.
Stern was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.
Stern also played a major role in the creation of the WNBA and NBA Development League, now called the G-League. Further, he is credited with the implementation of drug testing, the salary cap, and the dress code.
Quite a bit of what the NBA is today is because of David Stern.
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