David Stern was a trash commissioner in hindsight

[highwhey]

https://i.imgflip.com/92tqff.jpg

[90sgoat]

And1 destroyed american basketball.

[Carbine]

He actually did a lot for basketball if you research. The game was in a significantly better place compared to when he took over until his last day.

[pandiani17]

He actually did a lot for basketball if you research. The game was in a significantly better place compared to when he took over until his last day.

Completely agree. He made the NBA the global brand that it is today. For example, IIRC the sport was in its' lowest point, and the finals were not even televised live. He was a great businessman, definitely.

[tontoz]

I would say he was positive influence overall, but probably too hardcore. The dress code for example was ridiculous.

[highwhey]

I would say he was positive influence overall, but probably too hardcore. The dress code for example was ridiculous.

thank you, i didn't want to bring it up but the guy was too much of shtickler. and the NBA was ready for the global stage...it's not like he single handedly grew the league globally. the league was ready for other markets. he was no stringer bell.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/N1zbqn1VorI/sddefault.jpg

mfer was a hallway monitor telling people to supress their cultural dress code and tuck their shirts in.

[highwhey]

And1 destroyed american basketball.

that would be steph curry

[BarberSchool]

Stern would be talked about more negatively, IF Silver didn’t look & act like an ugly corpse being driven by a small alien inside.

[warriorfan]

Stern would be talked about more negatively, IF Silver didn’t look & act like an ugly corpse being driven by a small alien inside.

nosferatu

[RRR3]

Stern was trash, but better in some areas than Silver for sure. While Silver kills him in terms of giving more power and rights to the players, Stern did not CONSTANTLY mess with the rules of the game the way Silver does (and when he did like with the shortened 3PT line he was capable of admitting he made a mistake). I'd prefer a combination of both in the next commissioner. From a moral standpoint, I'd prefer Silver because he gives the players more power, but in terms of the actual rules of the game I preferred Sterns more hands off approach.

[90sgoat]

that would be steph curry

True actually.

[Patrick Chewing]

This might be the dumbest thing that anyone has said in ISH history.


But of course we all should know why the OP is saying this.

[Im Still Ballin]

He actually did a lot for basketball if you research. The game was in a significantly better place compared to when he took over until his last day.

This.


And1 destroyed american basketball.

AND1's influence on the NBA coincided with that Post-Jordan malaise, Deadball Era where TV ratings were in the gutter. And when Team USA started losing in Olympic/FIBA competitions.

Stern did very well in rebooting the league from that downturn. Implemented various rule changes to improve the product and move it away from a negative association that put off the middle White American TV demographic.

https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/nbaviewingvshutlevels.png


Completely agree. He made the NBA the global brand that it is today. For example, IIRC the sport was in its' lowest point, and the finals were not even televised live. He was a great businessman, definitely.

This.

[ILLsmak]

Stern was trash, but better in some areas than Silver for sure. While Silver kills him in terms of giving more power and rights to the players, Stern did not CONSTANTLY mess with the rules of the game the way Silver does (and when he did like with the shortened 3PT line he was capable of admitting he made a mistake). I'd prefer a combination of both in the next commissioner. From a moral standpoint, I'd prefer Silver because he gives the players more power, but in terms of the actual rules of the game I preferred Sterns more hands off approach.

Fair enough. Didn’t think about player rights, but on all other levels nba was better under stern. One may wonder also if the rights thing is a natural evolution that would have happened under anyone.

Bball now is worse than ever, and even if people are on some we dun with the 90s shit, they have to see it. 30 point games often in the playoffs. Load managed players who still get injured every year. Players demanding trades soon after they sign long term. Superteams. Some of that is progression, too, but i think stern navigated stuff like that better.

I think 5 game first round was right. I really think 2-3-2 was awesome for the finals, too. Shit seems too generic now in many ways.

-Smak

[tomtucker]

https://i.imgflip.com/92tqff.jpg

he made sure the uniforms were clean AF ..... not even a manufactures logo was allowed on jersey or shorts!

then enter the ghoul we have now, adam silver...... now we got fuking ads on jerseys!

[1987_Lakers]

I would say he was positive influence overall, but probably too hardcore. The dress code for example was ridiculous.

I didn't like the dress code at the time, but as an adult now I can see why Stern made that rule. It actually changed the NBA for the better.

He was a bit of a hard ass & dictator, but you can't deny how much more popular the league became once Stern took over. The NBA was in rough shape before he was commissioner.

[tontoz]

I didn't like the dress code at the time, but as an adult now I can see why Stern made that rule. It actually changed the NBA for the better.

He was a bit of a hard ass & dictator, but you can't deny how much more popular the league became once Stern took over. The NBA was in rough shape before he was commissioner.


How much credit for that should go to Stern?

I think more of it should go to Bird/Magic/MJ. Stern took over in 1984 the year Jordan was drafted and Bird/Magic faced off in the finals. Nice timing.

[rawimpact]

Dumb AF take

[Nowoco]

Stern did a lot of good but he lucked into most of his big successes. He inherited a league with a blossoming Lakers/Celtics rivalry and a rookie Michael Jordan. From there, no matter who was in charge, the NBA was going to explode. It also should be said that the ratings and interest dropped after MJ retired to an all-time low in the modern era. He couldnt stop the rot after his golden goose left the station. He also didnt understand the marketability of stars. Nike and others saw it long before he did. Don't forget that non white shoes werent allowed in MJ's rookie season.

He has a lot of black marks on his resume.

Fixing the 1985 draft to try and make the Knicks relevant
The WNBA has been an unmitigated expensive disaster
Nonsense rule changes like the shortened three point line
Torpedoed the Vancouver Grizzlies by hindering expansion teams by not allowing them high draft picks for years
Unable to prevent the lockouts
Bringing in the discriminatory if you're being nice, flat out racist if you're not dress code
Allowed Seattle to have their team taken away from them

Etc

[90sgoat]

Stern in retrospect deserves a lot of respect for keeping the players in line.

Silver has let Lebron take over the league and let the players show every negative instinct they have. The NBA stars are not really likeable in the public opinion like they used to be. Silver lucked into Curry, without Curry, the NBA would have had almost no likeable superstars.