While the rest of planet earth is ringing in the New Year, the basketball world is in mourning. On New Year’s Day, NBA Commissioner Emeritus, David Stern died of a brain hemorrhage at 77-years old.
Stern was known as a legend across all of basketball, changing the game into what we know it as in 2020. Stern’s accomplishments go from eliminating tape delay in the playoffs to launching NBA TV and NBA.com media platforms.
Stern was an advocate of the NBA turning into a global game, creating league offices across the world, which was new for his time. The Hall of Fame commissioner charged forward, taking the NBA into new cities across the United States and Canada.
Stern was on full display every June when the NBA draft rolled around each offseason. In 2009, Stern would make an announcement at the draft podium that would change the life of one Davidson Wildcat standout, and Warriors’ fans everywhere.
The Warriors selected Stephen Curry out of Davidson with the seventh overall, and Stern, on cue, announced the pick, introducing the future champion to the world.
After the announcement of Stern’s passing, the now two-time Most Valuable Player went to Twitter to pay his respect to the late commissioner.
Before Stern retired in 2014, Curry averaged 20.3 points, 6.7 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game. Curry’s signature three-pointer was just getting started while Stern was in office, with the marksman shooting 44 percent from beyond the arc over that time.
Along with Curry, other members of the Warriors have paid their respect to the former commissioner. Steve Kerr, Bob Myers and Rick Welts have all chimed in on the impact of legacy Stern’s left in the NBA.
