Early life
David Stern was born on September 22, 1942 in New York City, New York. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey in a Jewish family, and is a graduate of Teaneck High School. Stern attended Rutgers University, where in 1960 he pledged to the Sigma Delta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity. He graduated as B- dean's-list history student in 1963 and graduated from Columbia Law School in 1966, and was admitted to the bar in New York later that year after passing the state's bar examination.
National Basketball Association
His first association with the NBA in 1966 was as an outside counsel at Proskauer Rose. In 1978, Stern became the NBA's General Counsel under Larry O'Brien. By 1980, he was Executive Vice President of the NBA. During this time, two landmark decisions were reached with the NBA Players' Association: drug testing and team salary cap. The drug testing dealt with the perception that most basketball players used drugs, that the NBA admitted it had a problem, and it was cleaning it up. The salary cap created a revenue-sharing system where owner and player were effectively partners. Both of these agreements solidified Stern's standing inside NBA circles.
On February 1, 1984, Stern became the Commissioner of the NBA, succeeding Larry O'Brien. It was during that same year (1984-85) that four of the NBA's biggest superstars — Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, Charles Barkley, and John Stockton — entered the league.
The arrival of Michael Jordan, in particular, ushered in a new era of commercial bounty for the NBA. With him came his flair and talent for the game, and that brought in shoe contracts from Nike which helped to give the league even more national attention. Jordan and the two other premier basketball legends of the 1980s, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, took the game to new heights of popularity and profit. By 2004, Stern had seen the NBA expand from 10 to 30 franchises (since 1966), expand into Canada, and televise games in countries around the world.
Stern also oversaw the creation of the WNBA, a professional women's basketball league. Under Stern's watch the NBA has undergone an unprecedented internationalization. Setting up NBA training camps and exhibition games around the globe as well as the influx of international players into the league which have played a role in developing the character of the NBA in the 21st century. The NBA now has 11 offices in cities outside the United States, is televised in 215 countries around the world, in 43 languages, and operates the Women's National Basketball Association and the National Basketball Development League under the guidance of Stern.
Under Stern's watch the NBA's charitable contributions have increased, and the controversial NBA dress code was introduced.
Notable events during Stern's tenure
Building of 28 new arenas (10 since 1999)
Relocation of 5 NBA franchises (Clippers, Kings, Grizzlies, Hornets and Sonics)
7 new NBA teams (Hornets, Timberwolves, Heat, Magic, Grizzlies, Raptors, and Bobcats)
Ratification of the NBA Dress Code
NBA Finals Trophy renamed to Larry O'Brien Trophy
NBA Finals MVP Trophy renamed to the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
Has failed to avoid Several NBA Lockouts
Controversies
Stern has been at the center of multiple controversies during his time as commissioner.
During the 1985 NBA Draft Lottery, the NBA used a system where seven envelopes representing the seven teams with the worst records were mixed in a tumbler, and then drawn by Stern one at a time to determine which of these clubs would get the 1st pick onwards up to the 7th pick. When these envelopes were added to the tumbler, two envelopes were put in forcibly, and banged against the edge, while all the rest were set in gently. When drawing the envelope for the 1st pick, Stern went for the one with a bent corner, which upon opening the envelope, it was revealed that the New York Knicks logo was inside. This fueled speculation of a draft fix, with the theory being that the NBA wanted to send the best player in the draft to New York to increase ratings in a large television market.
In the 1997 NBA playoffs, the NBA suspended five players following a brawl between the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, which affected the outcome of that series. Some of the suspensions were required by a league rule, implemented under Stern, that provides an automatic one-game suspension to any player who leaves his team's bench during a fight. In the 2007 Playoffs from the Suns-Spurs Game, several players who left the bench and were not involved in the altercation were also suspended, prompting complaints from officials on both teams.
In 2000, after it was revealed that the Minnesota Timberwolves had tampered with Joe Smith two years earlier, the NBA league office punished Minnesota severely, voiding the last year of Smith's contract, fining the franchise $3.5 million and taking the Timberwolves' next 3 1st-round NBA Draft picks. Although many believed that tampering is a common practice, Stern abided by arbitrator Kenneth Dam's ruling that the Timberwolves had signed the secret agreement, and denied that the league was making an example of the Timberwolves.
Before the 2005-06 season, the NBA announced a new dress code, which banned players from wearing headphones, chains, shorts, sleeveless shirts, indoor sunglasses, T-shirts, jerseys and headgear such as baseball caps during NBA-related public appearances. Allen Iverson criticized the policy: "They're targeting guys who dress like me, guys who dress hip-hop ... I think they went way overboard."
For the 2006-07 season the NBA introduced a new "microfiber" basketball for use in NBA games, replacing the previous style ball used since 1970. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban agreed with the need for a new ball, claiming the old style ball was inconsistent. Many of the league's most prominent players openly expressed their dislike for the new ball, such as Shaquille O'Neal who said, "Feels like one of those cheap balls that you buy at the toy store." A study, financed by Cuban, claimed that the new ball "bounces 5 to 8% lower than typical leather balls when dropped from 4 feet...and the new ball bounces 30% more erratically." However, Stern initially refused to go back to the original ball despite many complaints by players about the new ball. Two months into the season Stern stated that the new ball may have been a poor choice and poorly tested and "we could've done a better job". On December 11, 2006 the NBA announced that it would in fact switch back to the leather ball starting on January 1, 2007.
In 2007 Stern injected himself in the controversy surrounding the purchase and subsequent relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics by Oklahoman Clayton Bennett and his ownership group. His support for the surprising move from the nation's 14th-largest market to the 45th was questioned by many both in the public and media. Stern also led the NBA to intervene against a 2008 legal attempt by Howard Schultz to keep the team in Seattle.
On July 19, 2007, NBA veteran referee Tim Donaghy was investigated by the FBI over allegations that included Donaghy bet on basketball games he officiated and that he made calls affecting the point spread during games. On August 15, 2007, Donaghy pleaded guilty to two federal charges related to the investigation and served 15 months in prison and was released in November, 2009. During the sentencing phase, Donaghy claimed that certain refs made calls that influenced the outcome of playoff games in 2002 and 2005. In June, 2008 NBA Commissioner Stern flatly denied Donaghy's allegations and stated that Donaghy was a convicted felon and a "singing, cooperating witness".
Personal
David Stern has contributed to many Democratic Party (US) candidates since becoming NBA commissioner. In September 2010, he donated $1,000 to support a group opposing California's Prop 23, which would delay enactment of the state's landmark environmental law.
He is married to Dianne Bock Stern, and they have two adult sons.
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