David Stern, former NBA commissioner, died at the age of 77 on Wednesday, the league announced.
Stern suffered a brain hemorrhage Dec. 17 and underwent emergency surgery but died Wednesday with his family by his side, according to the NBA’s statement.
“NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern passed away this afternoon as a result of the brain hemorrhage he suffered approximately three weeks ago. His wife, Dianne, and their family were with him at his bedside,” the statement read.
Current NBA Commissioner Adam Silver also issued a statement:
“For 22 years, I had a courtside seat to watch David in action. He was a mentor and one of my dearest friends. We spent countless hours in the office, at arenas and on planes wherever the game would take us. Like every NBA legend, David had extraordinary talents, but with him it was always about the fundamentals — preparation, attention to detail, and hard work.”
You can read the full statement below:
Full statement from the league office on the passing of David Stern … pic.twitter.com/c0aqapqsLL
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 1, 2020
Stern was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014 and was the longest-tenured commissioner in NBA history.
