David Joel Stern (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020) was an American attorney best known for his long leadership of the National Basketball Association. His tenure as commissioner shaped the modern NBA and lasted from 1984 until 2014.
Career
Stern began working with the league in the 1960s as outside counsel and moved into full-time roles in later decades. He joined the NBA staff in 1978 as general counsel, was promoted to executive vice president in 1980, and became commissioner in 1984, succeeding Larry O'Brien. He remained in that role for three decades before leaving office in 2014.
During his time as commissioner, Stern oversaw league expansion, negotiated major television contracts, and promoted the NBA and its marquee players on a global scale. Observers commonly cite these efforts as central to the league's large growth in popularity from the 1980s through the 2000s.
Illness and death
On December 12, 2019, Stern was hospitalized in New York City after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. He died on January 1, 2020, at the age of 77.