NEW YORK — David Stern is stepping down as NBA Commissioner, effective Feb. 1, 2014.
The NBA commissioner dropped that bombshell today following the league’s Board of Governors meeting. The 30 NBA owners unanimously picked Deputy Adam Silver as the replacement for Stern, although the official votes will come in late April after his contract is negotiated, Ken Berger of CBSSport reported.
Stern has been the Commissioner of the league since Feb. 1, 1984, right around the time that Magic Johnson and Larry Bird began to capture the hearts of fans around the country just when the game seemed to lose its popularity. Though Stern’s reputation is dicey at this point among many – he has been a part of two separate NBA lockouts – he will conclude his 30-year tenure as a true pioneer of the game.
“I told them (owners) that it’s been a great run. It will continue for another 15 months. The league is in terrific condition.” Stern told reporters. “I’d like to think I did an adequate job, but one of the things I did best was to provide a successor… I could not be happier to know that I’m seated here, knowing I’ll be succeeded by Adam. This gives us the opportunity to make a very, very smooth transition.”
Is there an odder-looking couple than Silver and Stern when they’re standing together? It’s like looking at Laurel and Hardy if Laurel had a shrunken head, no neck and no hair.
“Oh happy day…(oh happy daaaayyyy!) oh happy daayyyyyy…”