David Stern: Former NBA commissioner dies aged 77

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David Stern at a press conference in 2013Image copyright Reuters
Image caption David Stern helped enhance basketball’s reputation domestically and internationally

David Stern, the dilapidated commissioner of the US Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (NBA), has died at the age of 77.

He had been in a important condition after suffering a mind haemorrhage in December.

Stern turned into as soon as the NBA’s longest-serving commissioner, maintaining the job for 30 years till retiring in February 2014.

He is credited with hugely increasing the sport’s revenues and recognition at residence and in a abroad nation throughout his tenure.

“Because of the David, the NBA is a surely world ticket – making him now now not handiest thought to be one of many ideal sports activities commissioners of all time but moreover thought to be one of essentially the most influential commerce leaders of his generation,”his successor, Adam Silver, talked about in a commentary.

“Every member of the NBA family is the beneficiary of David’s vision, generosity and inspiration.”

Image copyright Getty Photography
Image caption Hundreds and thousands of sports activities followers worldwide now observe the NBA and its stars, including LeBron James

Stern took over the NBA in February 1984. Basketball then drew in smaller tv audiences and much less money than other US sports activities adore baseball and American soccer.

Nonetheless throughout his time guilty he helped form the NBA’s profile with a focal point on its wide name gamers – making other folks adore Michael Jordan household names around the field.

Seven contemporary teams joined the league throughout his three a few years guilty, including two in Canada.The kind of – the Toronto Raptors – won their first NBA title in June. He moreover oversaw the appearance of the Ladies individuals’s NBA in 1997.

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Media captionCelebrations erupted on the streets of Toronto after the Raptors’ historic steal

By the time Stern handed defend an eye on of the NBA over to his deputy Adam Silver in February 2014 – thirty years to the day after taking the job – bigger than 200 nations had been broadcasting US basketball games.

Final season turned into as soon as the sixth whereby bigger than 100 world stars performed within the NBA.

Born in 1942 in New York, he attended Columbia Law College and first grew to became affiliated with the NBA thru work for a eminent laws company which represented the league within the 1960s.

He grew to became the NBA’s overall counsel in 1978 and executive vice chairman in 1980, sooner than taking the tip role four years later.

Stern died in scientific institution in Manhattan surrounded by his family. He is survived by his better half Dianne and two sons, Eric and Andrew.

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