NBA commissioner David Stern to step down
By Michael Cunningham
David Stern’s time as NBA commissioner will soon come to an end so it seemed an appropriate time for him to talk about his legacy as NBA commissioner.
But Stern, 70, said he’s not a big believer in the “‘L’ word.,” though he wasn’t modest about his resume.
“I just want people to say that he steered the good ship NBA through all kinds of interesting times, some choppy waters, some extraordinary opportunities and … on his watch, the league grew in popularity, became a global phenomenon, and the owners and the players and the fans did very well,” Stern said during a teleconference.
Stern informed the league’s owners Thursday that he will step down as commissioner on Feb. 1, 2014, 30 years after he was hired. The league has experienced several highs and lows on his watch but by nearly all measures is healthier than when he got the job.
The game has grown in popularity and global reach since Stern became commissioner on Feb. 1, 1984. Back then the league was simply trying to gain a foothold as one of the popular sports leagues in the U.S.
Now the NBA is popular enough that one of the main priorities for Stern’s successor, Adam Silver, is to continue to expand its international footprint. At the request of the league’s board of governors Stern will remain available to help with that effort after his tenure as commissioner ends.
Silver, 50, has been deputy commissioner since July 2006. Stern has groomed him to take over the job and the board of governors unanimously decided to negotiate a contract with Silver. The approval of the contract next April is expected to be a formality.
“I’m enormously honored and thrilled, and appreciate the transition period that David is providing me,” said Silver, who has been an NBA executive for 20 years. “ So I’ll have the next 15 months for yet even more on-the-job training working directly with David.”
When Stern succeeded Larry O’Brien as commissioner, the NBA wasn’t far removed from having its weekday finals games broadcast on network tape delay. Nearly 30 years later, the the Heat-Thunder finals last spring set viewership records for ABC.
The NBA remained popular in spite of a lockout that forced the league to play a truncated, 66-game schedule in 2011-12. That was the second lockout on Stern’s watch, following a 1998 labor impasse that cost the league 32 games.
Other low points during Stern’s tenure have included a referee gambling scandal, a handful of players banned or suspended for drug use and the brawl between players and fans at the Pistons’ arena.
But, on balance, there’s been more good news than bad for the NBA during Stern’s time as commissioner.
Stern said the new labor agreement, which either side can opt out of after the 2016-17 season, has led to shorter contracts for players and what he eventually believes will be more competitive balance among teams. The league this month played seven exhibition games in six international cities and recently opened offices in Brazil and India.
Stern said the league is in “terrific” shape with season-ticket renewals for this season at a record 86 percent and extensive sponsorship agreements.
“For the most part it has been a series of extraordinary experiences, and enormous putting together of pieces of a puzzle, and it goes on for forever,” Stern said. “There will always be another piece of the puzzle, so the question is, at what point do you decide that, you know, let somebody else do it?”
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116 comments Add your comment
ag
October 27th, 2012
6:56 am
Ken – I stand corrected, I don’t think any race or religion should be stereotyped. There are good, and bad in all races and religions.
ag
October 27th, 2012
8:04 am
I think we need a fresh new change and outlook. My team is;
PG Teague Harris
SG Jenkins Williams
SF James Morrow/Korver
PF Smith Johnson/Scott
C Horford Zaza
Suits – Petro, Stevenson
cut Tolliver Anderson
Who knew?
October 27th, 2012
10:05 am
Who knew there was a European breed of troll….
Who knew?
October 27th, 2012
10:08 am
Nothing barks louder, backpedals faster, or gets more overly defensive than a GUILTY DOG.
Who knew?
October 27th, 2012
10:08 am
Somebody go get TS. He makes more sense than the NEW RACIST ELITE-IST TROLL.
doc
October 27th, 2012
10:37 am
vava, you have just put me back to my days in the 60’s having similar conversations with white caucasians over inequalities in the usa, in so many ways. historically, europe is strife today and yesteryear with anti-semitism and race/cultural wars. i understand why as your unforgiving rationalizations only drag you deeper and show no cultural growth. as a nation we were pulled into them before and will probably be pulled into them again.
btw, what you say about the nba and how they have manufactured ineffective franchises because of adding franchises is just as prevalent in the nfl and baseball. in my estimation the nba was just following suit and copying what the other older and bigger leagues were doing. baseball in miami, tampa, arizona and san diego, why? nfl in jacksonville? why? money, baby. hockey in phoenix, atlanta and nashville, tampa, carolina? money. so i guess it is greed then when white rich men do it and inbreeding if a jew does it?
Sautee
October 27th, 2012
10:58 am
“Also, I never used the word greed. I said that they are genetically and culturally money oriented and that as consequence of that I expected Silver to follow Stern’s steps which were not necessarily guided by the objective to create a balanced league.” – vava74
LOLOLOLOLOLOL at anyone being “genetically money oriented”.
That may well be the dumbest comment ever made on this blog (which is saying a LOT!).
How about “splaining” to us dummies just how ones genes can direct them to be “money oriented”.
This oughta be good. Can’t wait.
keith
October 27th, 2012
11:07 am
If the Chicago Bulls amnesty Carlos Boozer as rumored, i believe he would be worth a look. Pair
Boozer with Horford and Josh Smith they would be a pretty respectable frontline.
keith
October 27th, 2012
11:26 am
Starting to sound like Josh Smith may be leaving Atlanta. Hawks should look at a package that includes an unprotected lottery pick. Hate to see Josh leave, but, you can not lose him for nothing. Josh Smith to the Lakers for Pau Gasol and a pick may happen. That may be the move that would keep D12 in Los Angeles.
cp
October 27th, 2012
11:38 am
I said once the Hawks acquired Stevenson that I hope he doesn’t make the team. He gives you nothing offensively and is overrated defensively. A lot of people on here were stuck on what he did in the Finals a few years ago. I never bought into that because to me it was James just playing terrible rather than Stevenson playing great defense. Lebron was settling for a bunch of jumpers rather than attacking the hoop. I hope by the deadline guys like Stevenson and Petro are moved.
ag
October 27th, 2012
12:22 pm
CP – I agree. but we need a backup center to wear a suit. It is so funny – how did Petro hurt his back? I am sure he knew he would not play – so he gets injured so he would not make the trip.
cp
October 27th, 2012
12:37 pm
@ag. I actually wanted the Hawks to take Gerald Green instead of Stevenson. If I remember correctly the Nets were offering Green but the Hawks didn’t want him. I guess they didn’t want to pay him but he’s only getting like 3 million a year. I would rather have him than a few guys the Hawks got in that trade. He could start at either the 2 or the 3.
Big Ray
October 27th, 2012
1:43 pm
Ready for the regular season. These preseason games are crap.
Ken Strickland
October 27th, 2012
1:52 pm
So far in this preseason camp and exhibition season, DStevenson has shown absolutely nothing to make anyone doubt that last yrs awful performance was representative of how far he’s regressed as a basketball player. If Ferry wanted to carry only 14 players, they could cut Stevenson and Anderson and not miss a beat, bacause either player has done a doggone thing to warrant being on this team.
There are certainly those who think he should make the roster, and even start, based solely on what he did in the playoff series against Miami. They seem so focus on that series and his performance in that series, that they can’t seem to grasp what little he’s done since.
Big Ray
October 27th, 2012
2:02 pm
I see folks are trying to talk sense to the self-acclaimed global degenerate.
Such kind-hearted understanding folks.
I guess Vava is mad because Europe is broke as hell.
Anyway, wish we had some basketball to talk about, besides who makes the team.
Buddy Grizzard
October 27th, 2012
2:25 pm
“Christians are not capitalists.”
That’s interesting because when I used to go to church I used to hear a steady stream of Republican politics from the pulpit. And this was at a “progressive” church (Atlanta Vineyard). I don’t understand how people failed to see the contradiction between supporting a guy like Romney and “hardly shall a rich man enter the kingdom of heaven.”