This archive report was first published on 13 December 2019.
On Thursday, David Stern, the longest-tenured commissioner in professional North American sports, underwent emergency surgery after sustaining a brain hemorrhage.
According to the NBA, Stern, 77, suffered the hemorrhage earlier in the day and underwent surgery immediately.
As commissioner from 1984 to 2014, Stern played a crucial role in transforming the NBA into a global sports powerhouse, growing its popularity and revenue to $5 billion by the time he stepped down.
Before becoming commissioner, Stern joined the NBA as counsel in 1978 and went on to serve the league for over 35 years.
The incident occurred while Stern was dining in a midtown Manhattan restaurant, ESPN reported.
The NBA expressed its thoughts and prayers for Stern's recovery and well-being.
