Former NBA commissioner David Stern dies at 77

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David Stern, the NBA commissioner who oversaw the sport's biggest stage for three decades, has died, the NBA announced Wednesday. He was 77.

Stern died as a result of the brain hemorrhage he suffered approximately three weeks ago. His wife, Dianne, and their family were with him at his bedside, the NBA said.

"For 22 years, I had a courtside seat to watch David in action. He was a mentor and one of my dearest friends," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "We spent countless hours in the office, at arenas and on planes wherever the game would take us. Like every NBA legend, David had extraordinary talents, but with him it was always about the fundamentals -- preparation, attention to detail, and hard work.

"David took over the NBA in 1984 with the league at a crossroads. But over the course of 30 years as Commissioner, he ushered in the modern global NBA. He launched groundbreaking media and marketing partnerships, digital assets and social responsibility programs that have brought the game to billions of people around the world. Because of David, the NBA is a truly global brand -- making him not only one of the greatest sports commissioners of all time but also one of the most influential business leaders of his generation.

"Every member of the NBA family is the beneficiary of David's vision, generosity and inspiration. Our deepest condolences go out to David's wife, Dianne, their sons, Andrew and Eric, and their extended family, and we share our grief with everyone whose life was touched by him."

Stern was commissioner during the most successful period in NBA history and shepherded the league into the global market. He helped expand the game on the backbone of the NBA's star players, highlighted by the Dream Team's impact at the 1992 Olympics.

The NBA itself grew under Stern. Seven teams joined the league, while six relocated. Stern also helped in the creation of the WNBA, which had its inaugural season in 1997.

Stern's tenure overlapped with two of basketball's all-time greats, Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Stern became commissioner in February 1984, the same year Jordan entered the league. And Stern stepped down from his post three decades later in 2014, the year after James won his second of three NBA titles.

Stern and the NBA also endured labor strife over the years. The first four lockouts in NBA history occurred with Stern as commissioner. While the 1995 and 1996 lockouts did not result in lost games, lockouts in 1998 and 2011 led to regular seasons that were shortened to 50 and 66 games, respectively.

An outspoken commissioner, one action that Stern will be remembered for is his decision to veto a trade in 2011 that would have sent Chris Paul from the then-New Orleans Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers. Stern has defended the decision over the years, saying in October 2018 that he was acting to protect the then-league-owned Hornets. Paul would ultimately be traded to the LA Clippers a week after Stern's veto.

David Joel Stern was born on Sept. 22, 1942, in New York City. He received his bachelor's degree from Rutgers and his law degree from Columbia. He initially became linked to the NBA as part of the law firm Proskauer, Rose, Goetz & Mendelsohn, which represented the league.

Stern was part of a lawsuit brought by Oscar Robertson and helped negotiate a settlement that both allowed the NBA's merger with the ABA and led to free agency in the league.

He would officially join the NBA as the league's general counsel in 1978 and would succeed Larry O'Brien as commissioner in 1984. He would hand the NBA commissioner title to Silver in 2014.

During his tenure, the NBA became one of the most popular leagues in the world and increased television revenue from $10 million per year to approximately $900 million per year. After stepping down, Stern would continue to address issues in the NBA; among other ideas, Stern changed his position to promote legalized betting in the United States and said marijuana should be taken off the NBA's banned substance list.

Stern was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014.

"The reason I am here is because of thousands of people over the years who have done so much," Stern said during his induction speech, adding, "You got to love the game, and everything that we do is always about the game."

ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk contributed to this report.

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He was also here during the Bulls’ Dynasty during the 1990s and the Kobe/Shaq Lakers 3-Peat Championship Era during the 1999-2002 era.

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Explore the polarizing tenure of a commissioner who transformed professional basketball while navigating endless allegations of corruption. This look at league history examines the intense methods used to maintain absolute authority, the controversies surrounding high-profile trades, and the shadow of doubt cast over some of the sport's most defining moments.