David Stern has come under fire of late (particularly during the lockout), but he was instrumental in making the NBA popular in the 1990s. During the lockout, he said that this would be his last collective bargaining agreement, signaling the end was near. He will retire on the 30th anniversary of when he became commish.
David Stern, NBA Commissioner since Feb. 1, 1984, announced Thursday he will step down Feb. 1, 2014, and Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver unanmiously was chosen to succeed him.
Widely regarded as one of the best commissioners in all of sports, Stern turned basketball into a multi-billion dollar global business after the NBA had struggled to find its place on the sports landscape more than three decades ago.
“It’s been a great run,” Stern said. “It’ll continue for another 15 months. The league is in terrific condition.”
Source: USAToday
