NEW YORK (AP) — David Stern, the former commissioner of the National Basketball Association died Wednesday, the NBA said. He was 77.
Stern died from a brain hemorrhage he suffered several weeks ago, according to the NBA. Stern suffered the brain hemorrhage December 12 while dining in a Manhattan restaurant. Stern is survived by his wife, Dianne, and their two sons, Eric and Andrew.
Stern became the fourth commissioner of the NBA on February 1, 1984. He previously served as the NBA’s general counsel from 1978 until 1980, and then as Executive Vice President of the NBA from 1980 until 1984. In 2012, Stern announced he would step down in February 2014, and tapped Adam Silver as his replacement.
At the time of his retirement, Stern was the longest serving NBA commissioner, having held the position for exactly 30 years. After stepping down, Stern remained affiliated with the league with the title of commissioner emeritus, and has remained active in his other interests, such as sports technology.