2020-01-02T00:43:56+00:00

2020-01-02T00:43:56+00:00

2020-01-02T00:43:56+00:00.

By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net

FIBA joins the mourning of the international basketball family for the death of David Stern.

Per FIBA: One of sport’s greatest leaders and innovators and a longtime friend of FIBA, former NBA Commissioner David Stern has died. He was 77.

Stern suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage on December 12 and had emergency surgery. He passed away on January 1, 2020.

NBA commissioner from 1984 to 2014, Stern presided over the world’s top basketball league at a time which saw it enjoy unprecedented growth. After stepping down from his post and being succeeded by Adam Silver, Stern was named NBA Commissioner Emeritus.

A significant part of his legacy, as it relates to international basketball, was the inclusion of NBA players to national teams. Working alongside Borislav Stankovic (photo), the FIBA Secretary General at the time, Stern’s efforts paved the way for his league’s superstars to compete at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. The 1992 USA team, nicknamed the Dream Team, fueled worldwide interest in the sport.

Speaking at the FIBA Headquarters during his induction ceremony at the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016, Stern said: “I am proud of my collaboration with Borislav Stankovic to unite and strengthen basketball on a global basis …”

Stern and Stankovic at the 2012 London Olympics – 20 years since the first participation of NBA players in FIBA competitions

Stern oversaw the growth of the NBA into a competition that had games televised in more than 200 countries and territories, and in more than 40 languages.

“The international basketball family is deeply saddened by the loss of David Stern. FIBA will be forever grateful to a great basketball leader who showed unwavering commitment to the globalization of our sport and continuous support to national team competitions.” said Andreas Zagklis, FIBA Secretary General.

David Stern was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016.

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