UPDATE: Adam Silver will be the new commissioner once Stern steps down.
Many NBA fans have wondered about the date of when David Stern will officially retire as the league’s commissioner.
According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein, Stern has announced a date for his upcoming retirement, which will be on February 1, 2014.
This would mean that he has served as commissioner for 28 years, as the 70-year-old debuted as one on February 1, 1984, so it’s no wonder why he picked such a date to step down.
To many, Stern is the only commissioner people know. Stern predicted his retirement soon once the NBA reached a new CBA deal to end the lockout back in December. The CBA deal expires in 10 years with it being re-opened in six years, as Stern said he doesn’t plan to stay long for those terms.
“This is a 10-year (labor) deal, with a re-opener at six,” Stern said at the time. “I’m not planning to be here certainly for the 10 and probably not the six.”
Stern has played a huge role in helping become the NBA what it is today, as it’s one of the most popular professional sports leagues worldwide, helping it reach popularity in the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird era, the Michael Jordan era and now the Kobe Bryant and LeBron James era we see today.
Though many hate on him for many questionable moves he’s made in his career, I do applaud Stern for what he has made the NBA today.
