Former commissioner David Stern entered the NBA Hall of Fame in 2014, but now he might be entering a different distinguished hall: the New York City Hall.
The 72-year-old reportedly is being urged by friends to run for New York mayor in 2017, per New York Post contributor Richard Johnson. Current Mayor Bill de Blasio’s re-election appears unlikely, and friends believe Stern has what it takes to replace him.
Stern, a native New Yorker, is a graduate of Colombia Law School and served as NBA commissioner for 30 years, guiding the league through its most prosperous period. Stern relocated six NBA franchises, developed seven new franchises and helped make the league relevant outside U.S. borders, with games now televised in 215 countries world-wide.
“He’s always been interested in politics, and he’s always been interested in running for office,” a source told Johnson.
“He’s tough as nails,” another associate told Johnson. “New York would be lucky to have him as mayor.”
Stern, while flattered, has rejected ideas concerning his potential mayoral candidacy.
“I remain a happy Westchester resident and am very busy as a senior adviser to a number of enterprises,” Stern said.
If the mayoral rumors turn out to be false, maybe Stern should just run for president instead.
Thumbnail photo via Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Images
