‘We lost a legend.’ Tributes for David Stern, transformative NBA commissioner dead at 77
Tributes and memories for former NBA commissioner David Stern flooded social media on Wednesday.
Stern, who died at age 77 after suffering a brain hemorrhage several weeks ago, helped turn the NBA into a massive success in the 1980s. He served as the commissioner for 30 years.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban paid his respect with a post on Twitter, making light of the many times Stern fined Cuban for league infractions.
“RIP David. You always said you made me and you were absolutely right,” he said. “You were a friend, mentor and administrator of the largest donut fund ever. You are missed.”
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Stern had a bigger impact on the NBA than any non-player in history.
“I think David Stern made probably a bigger impact on the game than any non-player in the history of the NBA,” Kerr said in a video posted on social media. “He had the vision to set the league on a course where it is today. Everybody who is part of the NBA we all owe him a great debt of gratitude for his service, for his impact and for everything he has done for our individual lives.”
Current NBA commissioner Adam Silver paid tribute to Stern in a statement.
“He ushered in the modern global NBA,” Silver said. “Because of David, the NBA is truly a global brand, making not only one of the greatest commissioners of all time, but also one of most influential business leaders of his generation.”
This story was originally published January 1, 2020 at 4:02 PM.
