David Stern

David Stern is the Commissioner of the American professional basketball league NBA. Stern has been the commissioner since 1984, taking over from Larry O'Brien.

During Stern's tenure, the NBA game received a huge boost in popularity - first through Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's rivalry in the 1980s and then during Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls dynasty in the 1990s.

Stern engineered record-breaking television deals, contributing to sharply rising player salaries, and expanded the League from 23 to 30 franchises. He also helped to increase the NBA's international appeal, in particular by sending NBA players to compete in the 1992 Olympics - the Dream Team.

Stern also founded the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) modelled after baseball's minor league system. One of his long-term plans is to have expansion franchises in Europe.

In recent years, Stern has been at the centre of a number of controversies, installing an unpopular dress code for NBA players and replacing the traditional leather balls with microfiber basketballs.

Created by: Ole