David Stern
David Stern
David Joel Stern is the former commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He started with the Association in 1966 as an outside counsel, joined the NBA in 1978 as General Counsel, and became the league's Executive Vice President in 1980. He became Commissioner in 1984, succeeding Larry O'Brien. He is credited with increasing the popularity of the NBA in the 1990s and 2000s...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBusiness Executive
Date of Birth22 September 1942
CityNew York City, NY
CountryUnited States of America
Smart drafting is a wonderful thing. A smart free-agent signing is a wonderful thing. Smart trades are a wonderful thing, and that's a function of management.
Free speech is against governments, not against the NBA. So the players and coaches and indeed owners have been fined for their speech, which is costly rather than free. I sort of acknowledge that there is not free speech when you agree to work in the NBA.
I would say the league is viable as long as you have owners who want to continue funding losses. But it's not on the long term a sustainable business model that we're happy to be supporting. It needs to be reset.
I think it's... I don't want to become a social crusader on this issue, but I think sports, male sports, has traditionally not been an inviting environment for gay men to identify themselves. But eventually... we will get to a place where it is not an issue in sports.
It`s not the NBA Finals, it's not even a regular-season game. It's the All-Star game, it's a celebration. A celebration of talent, speed, grace. Let`s put it on display and have some fun.
Since the NBA purchased the New Orleans Hornets, final responsibility for significant management decisions lies with the Commissioner's Office in consultation with team chairman Jac Sperling. All decisions are made on the basis of what is in the best interests of the Hornets. In the case of the trade proposal that was made to the Hornets for Chris Paul, we decided, free from the influence of other NBA owners, that the team was better served with Chris in a Hornets uniform than by the outcome of the terms of that trade.
We're just changing the definition of the uniform that you wear when you are on NBA business,
Yes, there will be an NBA team here.
But more important, as the smoke rises from the incense burned by men and women, their consciousness rides the smoke and blends with the divine emanations of cosmic light, allowing a brief spiritual attuning with the Divine Consciousness.
We think that our players are the most talented athletes in the world and people come to watch them play, not to fight, bump and knock each other down.
We think that basketball is the international language. It's a sport that was invented in America, but it travels the world. It's been an Olympic sport since 1936, and we have worked with many of the countries here.
We went right to the terms of this new agreement. The adidas presence on a global basis is extraordinary.
We've had a very good year because people are talking about the game. They're complaining about the game, they're praising the game, they think it's good, they think it's bad, but it's about the game. Any time it's about the game it's fine from my perspective.
To see the impact that sports can have and should have is really the pinnacle for me of what sports is all about.