View source for David Stern

{{Short description|American businessman, lawyer, and NBA commissioner (1942–2020)}}
{{Other people}}
{{pp-semi-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix    = 
| name                = David Stern
| honorific-suffix    = 
| image               = David Stern.jpg
| caption             = Stern in 2007
| alt                 = 
| order               = 4th
| office              = Commissioner of the NBA
| election            = 
| term_start          = February 1, 1984
| term_end            = January 31, 2014
| deputy              = {{ubl|[[Russ Granik]] (1990–2006)|[[Adam Silver]] (2006–2014)}}
| predecessor         = [[Larry O'Brien]]
| successor           = [[Adam Silver]]
| birth_name          = David Joel Stern
| birth_date          = {{birth date |1942|9|22}}
| birth_place         = New York City, U.S.<!--***NOTE*** U.S. not needed, it's consistent with listed nationality "American" ***NOTE*** -->
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2020|1|1|1942|9|22}}
| death_place         = New York City, U.S.<!--***NOTE*** U.S. not needed, it's consistent with listed nationality "American" ***NOTE** -->
| spouse              = {{Marriage|Dianne Bock|1963}}
| children            = 2
| profession          = {{Hlist|Businessman|lawyer}}
| signature           = David_Stern_Signature_from_the_Goldman_Collection.png
| education           = [[Rutgers University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[Columbia Law School|Columbia University]] ([[Juris Doctorate|JD]])
}}
'''David Joel Stern''' (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020)<ref name = Yahoo/> was an American lawyer and business executive who was the [[Commissioner of the NBA|commissioner]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) from 1984 to 2014. Stern oversaw NBA basketball's growth into one of the world's most popular sports during the 1990s and 2000s.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1139791/1/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703045019/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1139791/1/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 3, 2013 |title=From Corned Beef To Caviar |newspaper=Sports Illustrated |date=June 3, 1991}}</ref> He is credited with developing and broadening the NBA's audience, especially internationally by setting up training camps, playing exhibition games, and recruiting more international players.<ref>DuPree, David. [https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/playoffs/2005-06-14-international-finals_x.htm "NBA Finals are whole new world"], ''[[USA Today]]'', June 14, 2005. Retrieved September 3, 2007.</ref> In addition, with Stern's guidance the NBA opened 12 offices in cities outside the United States, and broadcast to over 200 territories in over 40 languages.<ref name=CBSHemorrhage>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/david-stern-nba-brain-hemorrhage-commissioner-emeritus-suffers-brain-hemorrhage-2019-12-12/ |title=Former NBA Commissioner David Stern suffers brain hemorrhage |date=December 12, 2019 |work=CBS News}}</ref> Stern also helped found the [[Women's National Basketball Association]] and the [[NBA G League]], the NBA's development league.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.seattlechamber.com/pls/starter/newsletter_detail.read_pdf?v_newsletter_id=181|title=Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce eNews|work=seattlechamber.com|access-date=October 4, 2024|archive-date=October 28, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028121749/http://www.seattlechamber.com/pls/starter/newsletter_detail.read_pdf?v_newsletter_id=181}}</ref><ref name="nba.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/nba101/david_j_stern_bio.html |title=David J. Stern |work=NBA.com |date=November 9, 2007 |access-date=January 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717063641/http://www.nba.com/nba101/david_j_stern_bio.html |archive-date=July 17, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Under Stern, the NBA launched their [[digital assets|digital]] presence with NBA.com, [[NBA TV]], and [[NBA League Pass]]. He also established the NBA's social responsibility program, [[NBA Cares]].<ref>{{cite web|title=David Stern|website=NBA.com|date=June 2017|url=https://careers.nba.com/executive/david-stern/|access-date=January 2, 2020|archive-date=November 5, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201105030509/https://careers.nba.com/executive/david-stern/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Stern started with the NBA in 1966 as an outside counsel, then joined the NBA in 1978 as general counsel and became the league's executive vice president in 1980.<ref>{{Cite news| url =http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/david-stern/bio/231316|title= David Stern Celebrity|publisher=[[TV Guide]] |access-date = November 24, 2014}}</ref> He became commissioner in 1984, succeeding [[Larry O'Brien]]. After 30 years, Stern retired in 2014 as the longest-tenured commissioner in the history of [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major North American sports leagues]] (though [[Gary Bettman|his record has since been broken]]). He was succeeded by [[Adam Silver]].<ref name = NYT/> He was inducted into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] and [[FIBA Hall of Fame]]. Stern was on the [[Rutgers University]] Board of Overseers, a Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and chair of JALC's Marketing Committee, and was a Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of [[Columbia University]]. He was also a member of the [[Council on Foreign Relations]].<ref name=NBABio>[http://www.nba.com/nba101/david_j_stern_bio.html David J. Stern] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100717063641/http://www.nba.com/nba101/david_j_stern_bio.html |date=July 17, 2010}}, [[National Basketball Association]]. Retrieved September 3, 2007.</ref>

==Early life==
David Stern was born in [[Manhattan]], New York City, one of three children of Anna (née Bronstein, 1918&ndash;1990) and William Stern (1918&ndash;1980), a Jewish family.<ref name = NYT/> He grew up in [[Teaneck, New Jersey]], and his father ran a Jewish [[delicatessen]] in the [[Chelsea, Manhattan|Chelsea]] neighborhood of Manhattan.<ref name = NYT/> Stern grew up a [[New York Knicks]] fan, considered [[Carl Braun (basketball)|Carl Braun]] his hero,<ref name="aldrigeObit">[https://theathletic.com/1502570/2020/01/01/he-made-the-lamps-rattle-remembering-david-stern-in-all-his-momentous-bluster/ He made the lamps rattle: Remembering David Stern, in all his momentous bluster]</ref> and attended games at [[Madison Square Garden (1925)|Madison Square Garden]] with his father.<ref name = NYT/> He played basketball briefly in adulthood before sustaining a serious right knee injury during a New York Lawyers League game.<ref name = NYT/><ref name="LATHowardCooper">{{cite news|url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-02-12-sp-3002-story.html |title = He Passed a Rather Stern Test : NBA No Longer on Rebound, Thanks to Commissioner |work = [[Los Angeles Times]]|date = February 12, 1989|access-date = January 1, 2020|last = Howard-Cooper|first = Scott}}</ref>

After graduating from [[Teaneck High School]] in 1959, Stern went to [[Rutgers University]], where he was a member of the [[Sigma Alpha Mu]] fraternity and graduated in 1963 with a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in history. He then attended [[Columbia Law School]], receiving a [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] in 1966.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sargeant|first=Keith|title=How did ex-NBA commissioner David Stern become the unofficial 'senior advisor' to Rutgers?|date=January 28, 2017|work=NJ.com|url=https://www.nj.com/rutgersbasketball/2017/01/how_did_ex-nba_commissioner_david_stern_become_the.html|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref>

==National Basketball Association==
===Early work===
After graduating from law school, Stern joined the law firm of Proskauer, Rose, Goetz & Mendelsohn (now [[Proskauer Rose]]), which has long represented the NBA.<ref name = NYT/> He was the lead attorney representing the firm in the case of ''[[Robertson v. National Basketball Ass'n|Robertson v. National Basketball Association]]'', the landmark lawsuit brought against the NBA by star player [[Oscar Robertson]]. Stern helped the league negotiate a settlement that allowed the [[American Basketball Association-National Basketball Association merger|NBA/ABA merger]] to proceed in return for the NBA abolishing the "option" clause in its uniform player contract and allowing players to become free agents for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thebigo.com/AboutOscarRobertson/OscarRobertsonRule.php|access-date=June 18, 2017|title=TheBigO.com: About Oscar Robertson – Player of the Century|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104202505/http://www.thebigo.com/AboutOscarRobertson/OscarRobertsonRule.php|archive-date=January 4, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/16/sports/stern-named-to-succeed-o-brien.html|title=Stern Named to Succeed O'Brien|newspaper=The New York Times|date=November 16, 1983|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/389/867/1591788/|title=Robertson v. National Basketball Association, 389 F. Supp. 867 (S.D.N.Y. 1975)|website=Justia.com|access-date=January 2, 2010}}</ref>

In 1978, Stern left Proskauer Rose to become the NBA's general counsel under [[Larry O'Brien|Commissioner Larry O'Brien]]. By 1980, O'Brien promoted Stern to be the NBA's executive vice president for business and legal affairs, which made Stern ''de facto'' in charge of marketing, television, and public relations for the league.<ref name="ringerObit">{{cite news|url=https://www.theringer.com/nba/2020/1/1/21045783/david-stern-obituary-nba-commissioner|title=The Profound Legacy of David Stern, the NBA's Most Consequential Off-Court Force|work=The Ringer}}</ref> During this time, Stern largely drove two landmark agreements with the [[National Basketball Players Association|NBA Players' Association]]: drug testing and team salary cap.<ref name=Halberstam>{{cite book | last = Halberstam | first = David | author-link = David Halberstam | title = Playing for Keeps: Michael Jordan and the World He Made | publisher = Random House | year = 1999 | page = [https://archive.org/details/playingforkeepsm00halb_0/page/120 120] | isbn = 0-7679-0444-3 | url-access = registration | url = https://archive.org/details/playingforkeepsm00halb_0/page/120}}</ref> An August 1980 report by the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' had estimated that 40 to 75 percent of NBA players used cocaine.<ref name = NYT/> The drug testing policy dealt with the perception that the NBA had a drug problem, which it admitted, and it was cleaning it up.<ref name=Halberstam/> The NBA was the first of the major sports leagues in North America to implement a drug testing policy.<ref name = NYT/> The [[NBA salary cap|salary cap]] created a revenue-sharing system where owner and player were effectively partners, with players receiving 53 percent of all revenues.<ref name=Halberstam/> Both of these agreements solidified Stern's standing inside NBA circles.<ref name=Halberstam/>

===NBA Commissioner===
On February 1, 1984, Stern became the Commissioner of the NBA, succeeding O'Brien during the league's recovery from its darkest period.<ref name = NYT/> Instead of marketing the league's teams, he changed the focus to its star players, such as [[Magic Johnson]] and [[Larry Bird]], and [[Michael Jordan]] and [[Charles Barkley]] from the [[1984 NBA draft]], which was held soon after Stern took office.<ref name = NYT/><ref>{{cite news|last=Helin|first=Kurt|title=Former NBA Commissioner David Stern dies at 77|date=January 1, 2020|work=Pro Basketball Talk|url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/01/01/former-nba-commissioner-david-stern-dies-at-77/|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref> Jordan's arrival, 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, Inc.|Nike]] which helped to give the league even more national attention.<ref>{{cite magazine | title = In terms of dollars, Jordan was NBA's real MVP | magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] | first = Marty | last = Burns | url = http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/marty_burns/news/2002/05/07/burns_jordan/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081011140827/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/marty_burns/news/2002/05/07/burns_jordan/ | url-status = dead | archive-date = October 11, 2008 | date = May 7, 2002 | access-date = July 20, 2007}}</ref>

Stern guided the league through dwindling viewership en route to global growth.<ref name="goodwillObit">{{cite web|url=https://time.com/5757570/david-sterm-rescued-nba/|title=How David Stern Rescued the NBA and Turned Basketball Into a Global Force|publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|author=Sean Gregory|date=January 2, 2020}}</ref> In his first year as commissioner, Stern offered Adrian Paenza, a South American basketball and soccer analyst, and the [[Argentina]] Channel 9 the rights to air weekly NBA highlights for $2,000 a year.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://tv5.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28297623/nba-commissioner-david-stern-was-complete-force-nature |title = NBA commissioner David Stern was a complete force of nature |work = [[ESPN]]|date = January 1, 2020|access-date = January 1, 2020|last = Wojnarowski |first = Adrian}}</ref> In 1987, he started the shipping of [[VHS]] tapes from his New York office to China's state-run television station to expand the league's reach beyond North America.<ref>[https://theathletic.com/1457726/2020/01/01/saying-goodbye-to-stern-a-phone-call-ill-never-forget-and-the-plane-ride-that/ Saying goodbye to Stern: A phone call I’ll never forget, and the plane ride that will never be]</ref> Stern pushed to allow NBA players to participate in international tournaments, contributing to the creation of the [[1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team|1992 U.S. Olympic team]], dubbed the "Dream Team", which begat the first wave of international NBA stars.<ref name="goodwillObit"/>

One of the Dream Team members was Johnson. A year earlier, he announced that he was HIV-positive and retiring from basketball in a press conference with Stern sitting by his side.<ref name=gregory_01022020>{{cite magazine|last=Gregory|first=Sean|title=How David Stern Rescued the NBA and Turned Basketball Into a Global Force|date=January 2, 2020|magazine=Time|url=https://time.com/5757570/david-sterm-rescued-nba/|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref> At the time, the public was afraid of HIV and the disease was demonized.<ref name=gregory_01022020/> Some people feared it could be transmitted by sweat or a handshake.<ref name=gregory_01022020/><ref name=oram_01022020>{{cite news|last=Oram|first=Bill|title='Compassion and intelligence' guided David Stern through aftermath of Magic Johnson's HIV announcement|date=January 2, 2020|work=The Athletic|url=https://theathletic.com/1503526/2020/01/02/compassion-and-intelligence-guided-david-stern-through-aftermath-of-magic-johnsons-hiv-announcement/|url-access=subscription|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref> Despite backlash, Stern allowed Johnson to play in the [[1992 NBA All-Star Game]] and later for the Dream Team.<ref name = NYT/><ref name=gregory_01022020/> Having read medical literature and consulted experts, Stern helped inform league owners, players, sponsors and the public about the virus.<ref name=gregory_01022020/> The NBA put infection-control procedures in place; previously, players were allowed to play while bleeding.<ref name=gregory_01022020/>

In 1995, the NBA expanded into Canada, introducing the [[Toronto Raptors]] and the [[Vancouver Grizzlies]] to the league.<ref name = NYT/> During Stern's tenure, a total of seven new franchises (the [[New Orleans Hornets|Hornets]], [[Minnesota Timberwolves|Timberwolves]], [[Miami Heat|Heat]], [[Orlando Magic|Magic]], Grizzlies, Raptors, and [[Charlotte Bobcats|Bobcats]]) were admitted to the NBA, bringing the number of teams in the league to 30 by 2004.<ref name = NYT/><ref name="NYDailyNewsObit">{{cite news|url = https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/ny-david-stern-nba-commissioner-death-20200101-7blikkskkvedbpttfe5xaxmahy-story.html |title = David Stern, former NBA commissioner, dead at 77 |work = [[New York Daily News]]|date = January 1, 2020|access-date = January 1, 2020|last = Young |first = Dennis}}</ref>

In 2000, it was revealed that the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] had tampered with [[Joe Smith (basketball)|Joe Smith]] two years earlier by promising him a more lucrative contract in future years in exchange for signing him below market value so they could sign more players in the short-term. The NBA voided the last year of Smith's contract, fined the franchise $3.5 million and took away the Timberwolves' next three 1st-round [[NBA draft]] picks.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/columns/ratto_ray/841035.html|title=Joe Smith was worth all this trouble?|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/news/2000/10/26/timberwolves_smith_ap/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020320051228/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/news/2000/10/26/timberwolves_smith_ap/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 20, 2002 | work=CNN | title=Stern: T'wolves put franchise at risk}}</ref>

Before the 2005–06 season, the NBA announced a new [[NBA dress code|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."<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/basketball/4392182.stm | work=BBC News | title=NBA dress code upsets black stars | date=October 31, 2005}}</ref> A decade later, Stern's edict was credited with spawning a style trend among NBA stars toward high fashion.<ref name=gregory_01022020/><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Graham|first=Zach|title=How David Stern's NBA Dress Code Changed Men's Fashion|date=November 4, 2016|magazine=Rolling Stone|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-sports/how-david-sterns-nba-dress-code-changed-mens-fashion-104719/|access-date=January 3, 2020}}</ref>

Stern advocated a minimum age limit for NBA players.<ref name=golliver_01012020/> Starting with the [[2006 NBA draft]], players could no longer be [[NBA high school draftees|selected straight out of high school]] and needed to be at least 19 years old,<ref name=mccann_01022020>{{cite magazine|last=McCann|first=Michael|title=David Stern's Legal Background Proved to be Vital During His Tenure as Commissioner|date=January 2, 2020|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2020/01/02/david-stern-commissioner-dies-legal-background|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref> creating the [[one-and-done rule]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Bontemps|first=Tim|title=The one-and-done rule is on the way out — because of NBA money, not NCAA morals|date=April 26, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/the-one-and-done-rule-is-on-the-way-out--because-of-nba-money-not-ncaa-morals/2018/04/25/95f68868-48a0-11e8-827e-190efaf1f1ee_story.html|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref> In 2001, Stern had stated, "If these kids have the ability to get a little more maturity, a little more coaching, a little bit more life experience overall, that's good." He was criticized for his reference to the 18-year-old adults, most of whom were African American, as "these kids", when other professional sports and occupations allowed 18-year-olds.<ref name=mccann_01022020/>

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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogmaverick.com/2006/10/05/the-new-nba-ball/|title=The New NBA Ball|work=Blog Maverick}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blogmaverick.com/2006/11/10/the-new-nba-ball-p2/|title=The New NBA Ball P2|work=Blog Maverick}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2610976|title=Shaq: 'Whoever [changed ball] needs to be fired'|date=October 3, 2006|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> 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."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2006-10-31-new-nba-ball_x.htm | work=USA Today | first=Brian | last=Mahoney | title=Study: New NBA ball performs differently | date=October 31, 2006}}</ref>

However, Stern initially refused to go back to the original ball despite many complaints by players about the new ball.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=2621347|title=Stern confident new NBA ball will win over players|date=October 11, 2006|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> Two months into the season, the National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance related to the quality of the ball and the cuts it had caused on players' fingers. Stern acknowledged that the NBA "could have done a better job" with the decision and implementation, and that it would have been better to get the players' input in advance.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/sports/basketball/06ball.html?hp&ex=1165467600&en=08728757c39f319b&ei=5094&partner=homepage | work=The New York Times | first=Liz | last=Robbins | title=A Whole New Game Ball? N.B.A. Admits Its Mistake | date=December 6, 2006}}</ref> On December 11, 2006, the NBA announced that it would in fact switch back to the leather ball starting on January 1, 2007.<ref>Roscoe, nance. [https://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/nba/2006-12-11-new-ball-gone_x.htm "NBA to ditch new ball, return to old"], ''[[USA Today]]'', December 11, 2006. Retrieved September 3, 2007.</ref>

In 2007, Stern injected himself in the controversy surrounding the [[Seattle SuperSonics relocation to Oklahoma City|purchase and subsequent relocation]] of the [[Seattle SuperSonics]] by Oklahoman [[Clay Bennett (businessman)|Clay 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.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.seattlepi.com/thiel/359886_thielbar21.html | work=Seattle Post-Intelligencer | first1=Art | last1=Thiel | title=Stern and Bennett: Scoundrels must be held accountable | date=April 20, 2008}}</ref> Stern's tenure saw the relocation of six NBA franchises.<ref name=NYDailyNewsObit/>

In the summer of 2011, [[2011 NBA lockout|the NBA lockout]] cost the league regular-season games for the second time in league history; the first occurred during the [[1998–99 NBA lockout|1998–99 lockout]].<ref name = NYT/> Those were the only times the league has lost games as a result of work stoppages.<ref name=ap_01012020>{{cite news|title=David Stern, longest-serving NBA commissioner, dies aged 77|date=January 1, 2020|work=The Guardian|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jan/01/david-stern-former-nba-commissioner-dies-aged-77|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref>  Stern was known as a relentless negotiator.<ref name=ap_01012020/><ref name=golliver_01012020>{{cite news|last=Golliver|first=Ben|title=Behind the NBA's soaring success was David Stern's fighting spirit|date=January 1, 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2020/01/01/behind-nbas-soaring-success-was-david-sterns-fighting-spirit/|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref> During the 2011 lockout, he was accused by [[HBO]] commentator [[Bryant Gumbel]] of being "some kind of modern-day plantation overseer",<ref name = NYT/><ref name=golliver_01012020/> a reference to the division between the NBA's primarily white owners and its predominantly black players.<ref name=golliver_01012020/>

On December 8, 2011, Stern vetoed a three-team trade that would have sent [[Chris Paul]] to the Lakers, [[Lamar Odom]] to the league-owned Hornets, and [[Pau Gasol]] to the Rockets for what a spokesman would only say were "basketball reasons".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/7333285/los-angeles-lakers-deal-acquire-chris-paul-off |title=Chris Paul trade to Lakers off |publisher=Espn.go.com |date=December 9, 2011 |access-date=October 26, 2012}}</ref> Early reactions from around the league, fanbase, and media were all largely negative, with players taking to Twitter to express their concerns, and several noted sports journalists criticizing the decision.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wojnarowski |first=Adrian |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=At_MCea0tR2fjoZ6_q4Uws28vLYF?slug=aw-wojnarowski_chris_paul_lakers_hornets_nba_120811 |title=Teams still pushing for Paul trade&nbsp;— NBA&nbsp;— Yahoo! Sports |publisher=Sports.yahoo.com |date=December 9, 2011 |access-date=October 26, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Berger |first=Ken |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/story/16371316/nixed-paul-deal-makes-nba-look-like-secondrate-bush-league |title=Nixed Paul deal makes NBA look like second-rate bush league&nbsp;— NBA&nbsp;— CBSSports.com News, Scores, Stats, Fantasy Advice |publisher=Cbssports.com |date=December 9, 2011 |access-date=October 26, 2012}}</ref> The deal was maligned especially because of the conflict of interest posed by the league's ownership of one of its teams.<ref name="grantland1">{{cite web|url=http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7334835/the-sixth-day-nba-christmas |title=Bill Simmons laments how far the NBA has fallen in the wake of the Chris Paul situation |publisher=Grantland |date=December 8, 2011 |access-date=October 26, 2012}}</ref>

On October 25, 2012, Stern announced that he would step down as NBA commissioner on February 1, 2014, after 30 years in the role, longer than each of his three predecessors.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/8550645/david-stern-retire-nba-commissioner-2014 |title=David Stern has date for retirement |date=October 25, 2012 |work=ESPN.com |publisher=ESPN |access-date=October 25, 2012}}</ref> He was succeeded by his deputy [[Adam Silver]], but remained affiliated with the league with the title of commissioner emeritus.<ref name=CBSHemorrhage/>

Stern received the [[Olympic Order]] in 2012. In 2014, Stern was inducted to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite press release |url=http://www.hoophall.com/news/2013/4/8/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-class-of.html |title=Five Direct-Elect Members Announced for the Class of 2014 by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |date=February 14, 2014 |access-date=February 15, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130412075639/http://www.hoophall.com/news/2013/4/8/naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-class-of.html |archive-date=April 12, 2013}}</ref> In 2016, he became a member of the [[FIBA Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/former-nba-commissioner-david-stern-will-be-inducted-into-fiba-hall-of-fame/|title=Former NBA commissioner David Stern inducted into FIBA Hall of Fame|website=CBSSports.com|date=August 28, 2016 }}</ref>

==Personal life and death==
[[File:David Stern at Fortune Brainstorm TECH 2012.jpg|thumb|upright|Stern in 2012]]
Stern was married to Dianne Bock Stern, and they had two sons: Eric and Andrew.<ref name="nba.com"/> They resided in [[Scarsdale, New York]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Ballard|first=Chris|title=Pressing Forward: David Stern Is Not Looking Back|date=October 24, 2018|magazine=Sports Illustrated|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2018/10/24/david-stern-adam-silver-lebron-james-chris-paul-donald-trump-lakers-hornets|access-date=January 2, 2020}}</ref> By the later years of his commissionership, Stern was earning a $9 million salary. He stood at {{convert|5|ft|9|in|m}}.<ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28409821/nba-commissioner-david-stern-towered-league-built NBA commissioner David Stern towered over the league he built]</ref>

On December 12, 2019, Stern suffered a [[Intracerebral hemorrhage|brain hemorrhage]] and underwent emergency surgery.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Draper |first1=Kevin |title=David Stern Has Surgery for Brain Hemorrhage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/12/sports/basketball/david-stern-nba-surgery-brain-hemorrhage.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=December 22, 2019 |date=December 12, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Maxouris |first1=Christina |last2=Simko-Bednarski |first2=Evan |title=Former NBA Commissioner David Stern underwent surgery after sudden brain hemorrhage |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/12/us/former-nba-commissioner-david-stern-brain-hemorrhage/index.html |website=CNN |access-date=December 22, 2019 |date=December 12, 2019}}</ref> He died in Manhattan on January 1, 2020, at age 77.<ref name = Yahoo>{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/former-nba-commissioner-david-stern-dies-at-77-210616601.html|title=Former NBA commissioner David Stern dies at 77|work=[[Yahoo Sports]]|publisher=[[Verizon Media]]|date=January 1, 2020|access-date=January 1, 2020|last=Owens|first=Jason}}</ref><ref name = NYT>{{cite news|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/01/sports/basketball/david-stern-dead.html|title = David Stern, Transformative N.B.A. Leader, Dies at 77|work = [[The New York Times]]|date = January 1, 2020|access-date = January 1, 2020|last = Stein|first = Marc}}</ref> In remembrance of Stern, all NBA teams wore black bands on their jerseys for the remainder of the [[2019–20 NBA season|2019–20 season]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2020/01/why-does-every-nba-players-jersey-have-a-black-band-david-stern-tribute|title=NBA teams will wear a black band on jerseys to pay tribute to David Stern|last=Schwartz|first=Nick|work=USA Today|date=January 3, 2020|access-date=January 10, 2020}}</ref> Several basketball legends and players mourned his death, including [[LeBron James]], [[Michael Jordan]], [[Magic Johnson]], and [[Kobe Bryant]] (who [[2020 Calabasas helicopter crash|died]] twenty-five days later).<ref>{{Cite web|title=LeBron James leads tributes to David Stern|url=https://olympics.com/en/news/david-stern-nba-tributes-lebron-jordan-magic-kobe|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Olympics.com}}</ref>
{{clear}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Sister project links|wikt=no|v=no|b=no|s=no|c=Category:David Stern}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100717063641/http://www.nba.com/nba101/david_j_stern_bio.html NBA profile]
* [http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/DavidStern.htm International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame profile]

{{NBA Commissioners}}
{{Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame}}
{{2014 Basketball HOF}}
{{FIBA Hall of Fame}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stern, David}}
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