The life of late NBA Commissioner DAVID STERN was celebrated yesterday by a crowd of thousands who "filled the lower bowl at Radio City Music Hall," as people from all corners of the sport "gathered to honor Stern's 30-year tenure running the NBA," according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com. Stern's "innovation, not just in growing the sport internationally, but in diversifying the sport domestically by championing the WNBA and NBA Development League (now the G League), was a constant theme." Laughter "flitted throughout the concert hall when Stern was shown trying on LEBRON JAMES' oversized white sports coat on the night of the seminal" '03 NBA Draft. NBA Commissioner ADAM SILVER said that he "learned from 'a master at the top of his game,'" as he "rattled off a list of snackable Stern wisdom he referred to with affection as 'Davidisms.'" Stern's business acumen was "trumpeted" by Heat President PAT RILEY, and Stern's "irascible side" was detailed (ESPN.com, 1/21). In L.A., Dan Woike notes the memorial "began with Stern’s own words, a video package celebrating his achievements during a 30-year run as commissioner." Speakers that followed "would celebrate Stern for spearheading the founding of the WNBA and NBA Cares, for his tireless pursuit of perfection and his commitment to social responsibility." Co-workers "casually quoted Stern from speeches he gave decades ago and praised him as a visionary" (L.A. TIMES, 1/22).
HIGH PRAISE: In N.Y., Peter Botte notes MAGIC JOHNSON was "one of several boldfaced NBA names" who attended, as he "emotionally credited Stern with saving his life with his handling" of Johnson's revelation in '91 that he was forced to retire from the Lakers and the NBA due to contracting HIV. Johnson also "recalled Stern calling him several months later to gauge" his interest in playing in the '92 All-Star Game. Silver said his former boss “changed the world.” Big East Commissioner VAL ACKERMAN, the first WNBA president, called Stern the "most important person to women’s sports since BILLIE JEAN KING.” Botte notes one of Stern’s sons also "thanked Knicks Owner JIM DOLAN for 'picking up the tab' for the memorial" (N.Y. POST, 1/22). THE ATHLETIC's David Aldridge writes the league that Stern "led from near-eclipse to global permanence" has been in Silver’s hands for those five years since Stern left, and the league is "still a financial and social leviathan, perhaps even bigger, and certainly more valuable, than it’s ever been" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/22).
DEMANDING DAVID: USA TODAY's Jeff Zillgitt notes the stories told yesterday "revealed not only who Stern was but what made him who he was, faults and all, poking fun at his micromanaging, demand for perfection and temper." Speakers backed it up, from Warriors President & COO RICK WELTS, who was "on the receiving end of one of Stern’s outbursts," to Ackerman, who "feared she might hear one of his famous tirades while waiting for him in an office" (USA TODAY, 1/22).
FACES IN THE CROWD: A who’s who of sports business execs were in attendance, including top TV executives: ESPN's JIMMY PITARO, CONNOR SCHELL and BURKE MAGNUS; Turner’s JEFF ZUCKER and LENNY DANIELS; CBS’ SEAN MCMANUS and DAVID BERSON; Fox’ ERIC SHANKS; and NBC’s JEFF SHELL and MARK LAZARUS. Others spotted included PAUL TAGLIABUE, DON GARBER, TIM LEIWEKE, DEREK CHANG, RANDY FREER, JOHN SKIPPER, DAVID LEVY, RUSS GRANIK, JEFF KROLIK, ED ERHARDT, BOB GUTKOWSKI, MITCHELL MODELL, BUFFY FILIPPELL and LEONARD ARMATO. Several former players were in attendance, including YAO MING, who flew in from China for the event (John Ourand, THE DAILY).
