The National Basketball Association will start this decade without one of the men responsible for its status as a global brand after David Stern passed away at 77.
The former commissioner was an important figure in the history of the association, as his direction helped a league that was struggling to get viewers transform into one of the biggest and most beloved sporting leagues in the world.
This piece will look at some of the most incredible moments in David Stern's tenure as NBA commissioner.
Pushing players to the forefront of the brand
The NBA is as strong as its superstars, and this characteristic of the league was one David Stern first thought up.
When he took over the role in 1984, there were outstanding figures in the history of the league. However, outstanding personalities like Julius Irving, Bill Russell, and Bob Cousy didn't build a loyal following out of its dwindling viewership. It was during this time that Stern felt it was imperative to give people something to root for.
He then pushed Magic Johnson and Larry Bird into the limelight, building the brand behind the two. The timing of it all was perfect: Magic and Bird faced each other at the 1979 college basketball championship game, were drafted in the same year by the league's most storied basketball teams, and were playing opposite but effective styles of basketball.
The two then ushered the team into a golden age. The NBA's rise to mainstream prominence saw the subsequent blossoming of star players as well. The Dream, Sir Charles, and The Mailman were some of the most popular players to come out of the '80s and '90s.
However, his champion was undoubtedly Michael Jordan. His Airness' dominance in the '90s helped the league become the force that it is worldwide, and Stern made the right call in putting all of his chips in the Chicago Bulls' basket.
Pioneered a player-first salary cap agreement
Before David Stern arrived, the name of the offseason game was chocking as much money as the budget would allow to a star player. It was due to this that the big-market teams like Los Angeles and New York enjoyed extended periods of dominance during the '60s and '70s. However, Stern changed all that with a brilliant move: the introduction of the salary cap.
The most notable thing about this achievement was that he pulled this off even before he was named the league's commissioner. He started the cap in 1983 when ownership of a basketball team was a very risky business. He crafted the rule that it would limit big-market teams from spending too much on their payroll and allow teams to become competitive. He also made it that players would get a cut of the profit the league earns, making them an important partner for the league's success.
The cap was the first of its kind in North American sports, and the decision allowed small-market teams to compete for championships when it was usually just reserved for teams in big cities. It didn't take long before the NFL and MLB followed suit with their own version of the salary cap.
It also forced front-office execs to be creative with their decisions. It's due to the salary cap that we got to see a myriad of fascinating teams such as the mid-2000s Suns and the early iterations of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Gave players a voice to be heard off the court
Fans always see basketball players not just as athletes, but as entertainers as well. They look at players as a source of entertainment due to their incredible athleticism. They usually don't look for a player in terms of off-court opinions. However, Stern set the league up in a way that it allowed players to say what they want and speak their truths.
The first — and probably biggest — move David Stern did in relation to this was his support for Magic when he came out as HIV-positive in 1991. Not a lot of people understood what the condition was, and were afraid to even touch the Lakers superstar, but the commissioner gave him a platform to clear the air and destroy the stigma a little bit.
Johnson was definitely thankful for the opportunity Stern gave him, but he wasn't the only one who used the freedom of expression Stern gave the league. LeBron James is vocal about issues, and Stern's willingness to let him speak is vital to his image as a man who just wouldn't shut up and dribble.
Nowadays, there are plenty of players in the league who aren't afraid to speak their minds about non-basketball stuff that matters to them. It's thanks to Stern that these players are voicing out their thoughts, hopes, and fears for the entire world to hear and understand.
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There are a lot more things Stern did to make the NBA the beloved league it is today. Of course, there are some actions Stern did that a lot of fans hate him for (the most recent example being the veto of Chris Paul's trade to the Lakers), but everyone knows that the league wouldn't look like what it is today if it wasn't for David Stern.
The entire basketball world will be thankful for what the former commissioner did for the league. It wouldn't take long before Adam Silver and the rest of the NBA come up with a way to pay tribute to one of the most important figures in their history.
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