On David Stern, and the Lottery

Examining Stern’s legacy, and the Lottery he created.

David Stern is retiring as commissioner, and I’m really going to miss his troll face (Click here for more troll face). Stern was never shy about the spotlight, in fact I’d argue he’s more recognizable than any other commissioner in North American sports (I see you Canada). Say whatever you want about him, but Stern seemed to give less ***** than George Bush, and I will always have a bit of appreciation for that.

Stern has done a lot as commissioner, but one stands out for me most (and by transitive property lead to the formation of this website); the lottery. It was supposed to persuade teams from tanking, and while it may not have worked exactly as planned, lottery night in the NBA always has a bit of intrigue, surprise, and mostly disappointment. It has created a system where even one of the worst teams in the NBA history doesn’t get the #1 pick (Charlotte), and teams having a an off year end up with franchise players (San Antonio, Chicago). So even if teams still tank, it has been successful in preventing said teams from being rewarded for their ineptness, unless of course you believe in conspiracy theories.

(Side note: Watch the trailer for Conspiracy Theory and imagine Mel Gibson has uncovered a draft conspiracy and David Stern is after him. You’ll thank me later).

Whether you like the lottery system or not, or believe David Stern would kill Mel Gibson to protect the secrets of the NBA, the lottery has become a unique part of professional sports and always creates talking points. The system is interesting because of the uncertainty, because your team’s future can change in an instant by the drawing of a ping-pong ball. It realizes and ruins hopes simultaneously. Its cold, and cares not for your gripes as to why your team deserves the number one pick. Its our Frankenstein monster, expect it didn’t bother seeking human compassion and instead manifested itself as our nightmare. Our intrigue over such a creature quickly turns to fear once we realize that, once again, it is going to kill our hopes of landing the top pick.

It is, more than likely, exactly how Stern wanted it. You could say it is a reflection of Stern, who once said in a players union meeting leading up the most recent lockout, that he knew where “the bodies are buried” because he had helped bury some himself. Maybe things will change with Silver in charge, but for the near future the lottery is staying, and even if were to go away it will be remain a big part of the NBA’s history.

And like the lottery, Stern’s legacy will last a long time as well. Expanding the league by seven teams, relocating six, ratifying the dress code, being a part of four NBA lockouts, and starting the WNBA and D-League, Stern grew the popularity of the sport and made the league a lot of money. The league generates $5.5 billion a year today, (from $400 million a year in 1993) and is expanding to international markets. His decisions haven’t always been met with applause, but Stern never seemed to care, he knew in his mind the best direction for the league, and he wasn’t afraid to make that known.

I could go on about Stern’s legacy but I won’t. I haven’t been around long enough, haven’t followed the NBA long enough, to fully understand Stern’s impact and legacy. We won’t be able to fully evaluate his legacy until some time has passed, but I’m not sure if the league will ever have a commissioner that did so much and opened himself up to rest of the league like Stern did.