David Stern ran the NBA like a "mob boss," and he wasn’t shy about letting everyone know who was in charge. That’s a huge part of why the Association became a massive success under his watch. Stern went hard and was a savage if he wanted to go that route. Speaking of, one of the late commissioner’s most gangster moments was after he had to deal with the aftermath of the Malice at the Palace.
"I decided it"
The brawl between the Pacers and the Pistons in 2004 was a PR disaster of epic proportions. The NBA then had to fight the “thug” label against the players, and Ron Artest, Jermaine O’Neal, and Stephen Jackson knocked out fans left and right. This led to a 73-game suspension for Artest as the chief instigator, while O’Neal got 25 and Jackson 30 for their roles.
As expected, Stern wasn’t happy with everything. He called Artest’s actions “unforgivable” and vowed that things of that nature would never happen again in the NBA.
"I have been a commissioner for 21 years, and this is the worst game I have ever seen,” Stern said .
When he was asked if the disciplinary actions were unanimously decided by the league’s disciplinary committee, Stern replied: "It was unanimous, 1-0. I decided it. We have to make the point that there are boundaries in our game. And one of those is the boundary that separates the players from the court."
'I know where the bodies are buried'
When Stern didn't like something, he let people know. During the 2011 CBA negotiations, the commissioner told a room full of NBA executives and players something scandalous. According to then-Yahoo Sports writer Adrian Wojnarowski, commish warned that ‘he knows where the bodies are buried in the NBA because he buried them himself.’
In short, Stern let everyone know he wouldn’t let anyone get in the way of the NBA’s best interest, whatever that interest was. This was after Billy Hunter, the NBPA’s former executive director, pushed back on the commissioner and the owners on the issue of implementing a hard salary cap. Moreover, Hunter butted heads with them about guaranteeing a $10 million profit for every team owner.
“It was shocking,” said 2011 NBA MVP Derrick Rose after hearing Stern’s ‘buried bodies’ warning. “I was taking off my gear, and when he said that, I just stopped and thought, ‘Whoa! I couldn’t believe that he said it.”
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Expanding the NBA’s influence
The Association is where it is today because David laid the groundwork. He had a vision to make the game global, and he witnessed firsthand how that dream turned into a reality. As Dallas Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban said, Stern was unique in one way—he had the uncanny ability to follow up on his goal.
“Some executives only have the vision, David knew how to execute on that vision,” Cuban said , per TIME magazine. “What made it ever more amazing was that he never wavered no matter what other struggles the league had to address. He took them on, took total responsibility, resolved then as best he could and always kept moving the NBA forward. All that said, what I liked best about David is that we could have knock down drag out arguments about anything and still have respect for each other and still be friends. I really loved the man and learned so much from him."
The late commissioner may have ruled with an iron fist, but his uncompromising approach turned the NBA into a global, billion-dollar powerhouse. His tough disposition wasn't just about control—it was about delivering results that shaped the league's success.
Related: "We thank you" - When David Stern hilariously thanked Vlade Divac for being the NBA's flopping GOAT
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