The NBA says former Commissioner David Stern suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage Thursday and had emergency surgery. The league said in a statement its thoughts and prayers are with the 77-year-old Stern’s family.
Stern served exactly 30 years as the NBA’s longest-tenured commissioner before Adam Silver replaced him on Feb. 1, 2014.
Stern has remained affiliated with the league with the title of commissioner emeritus and has remained active in his other interests, such as sports technology.
Stern oversaw the growth of the NBA into a league whose games were televised in more than 200 countries and territories and in more than 40 languages.