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Friday 3 January 2020
Remembering David Stern, and some of his top accomplishments

By TIM REYNOLDS rooted for the Knicks, not
AP Basketball Writer the Celtics, and thought
MIAMI (AP) — Nick Nurse Harry Gallatin was a better
has quite a few reasons to player.
be thankful for David Stern. "That's what fanship does,"
The coach of the NBA Stern said.
champion Toronto Rap- In the end, Russell might
tors first encountered Stern have become Stern's favor-
around 20 years ago. ite player.
Nurse, who was coaching Stern loved Russell. He loved
in London, met Stern — the way he expressed his
then the NBA commissioner political views. He loved
— through a mutual friend his grouchiness. And when
and remembers how fasci- Stern saw the way Russell
nating it was to have con- and Bob Cousy — a star
versations with him. Fast white guard for Boston —
forward a few years, and played seamlessly togeth-
Nurse had an idea to bring er, he had a realization.
a team from what was then "Our sport was under duress
called the NBA Develop- because people said it was
ment League to his native getting too black," Stern
Iowa. said in his Hall of Fame in-
Stern and the NBA liked duction speech. "I remem-
the idea. The Iowa team bered this guy named Rus-
was born. Nurse was its first sell who played with this
coach. The rest is history. other guy named Cousy.
And Nurse is one of count- In this Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2013 file photo, Former Boston Celtics basketball player Bill Russell, left, The best basketball that
hugs National Basketball Association Commissioner David Stern during an award ceremony for
less people reflecting now the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Mass. I think ever existed in the
on Stern's impact, after the Associated Press world and it dawned on
man who ran the NBA for 30 me that we had something
years died on Wednesday the G League wasn't born, said growth of the league game arrived in 1994 and to teach the world."
about three weeks follow- at Stern's behest, then was his top achievement. the skills contest was born With that, equality — all
ing a brain hemorrhage. Nurse probably wouldn't "My greatest accomplish- in 2003. sorts of it, including racial
"There's no denying how be coaching the reigning ment was in hiring the now The game itself, always and gender — became
much he grew the game. champions right now. And 1,200 people — that used held on Sunday night to a passion of Stern's. He
He was the leader behind if Stern didn't push to reach to be 24 — that have taken cap the weekend, is now championed the creation
all that," Nurse said. "Obvi- out into more markets, in- the league to where it is," just a part of the show. of the WNBA. He was Mag-
ously, lots of important peo- cluding Canada, then the he said. "It was a showcase of what ic Johnson's biggest advo-
ple play important roles Raptors might not even ex- Some of Stern's other ac- David Stern knew was the cate when the Lakers star
there, but still, somebody's ist. complishments of note: backbone of the NBA — announced he had been
got to lead that thing and "This was his baby," Toronto ALL-STAR WEEKEND its stars," Larry Bird, the first diagnosed with HIV in 1991.
he was doing that at a lev- guard Kyle Lowry said. "He Stern turned the NBA's All- 3-point contest winner, said And he supported Johnson
el that was unseen."For all helped grow this thing into Star Game — which long in 2014. when he returned to the
of Stern's accomplishments what it is today. And you've predated his work with the EQUALITY league after his first retire-
— and there are many — got to give him a lot — I league — into a weekend Boston's Bill Russell was ar- ment, plus pushed for him
growth of the game may wouldn't say all — but a festival. The slam dunk con- guably the first black player to be part of the first Olym-
be the biggest one of all. whole lot of the credit." test was added in 1984, to achieve superstar status pic "Dream Team" in 1992.
Nurse is the perfect exam- Stern, when he stepped the 3-point contest in 1986, in the NBA, though Stern "We were able to change
ple. If what is now called down as commissioner, what started as the rookie always wasn't a fan. He the world," Johnson said.q

Doncic, Antetokounmpo the early

All-Star vote leaders

By TIM REYNOLDS million-vote mark so far, Joel Embiid and Toronto's
AP Basketball Writer putting him well on his way Pascal Siakam are the
Dallas' Luka Doncic re- to what would be a 16th leaders for the three start-
ceived fan votes than any consecutive All-Star ap- ing frontcourt spots. Atlan-
other player in the open- pearance. James, Lakers ta's Trae Young has gotten
ing week of balloting for teammate Anthony Davis the most votes so far in the
the NBA All-Star Game. and the Los Angeles Clip- East guard race, about
The NBA released the first pers' Kawhi Leonard are 11,000 ahead of Brook-
voting totals on Thursday the runaway leaders in the lyn's Kyrie Irving. Boston's Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) dribbles upcourt
and Doncic has received Western Conference front- Kemba Walker is 450 votes against the Golden State Warriors during the first half of an NBA
basketball game in San Francisco, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019.
1,073,957 -- 599 more than court. Doncic and Hous- back of Irving. Associated Press
Milwaukee's Giannis Ante- ton's James Harden also Other notables from the
tokounmpo. are off to enormous leads first week of fan voting, balloting, Golden State's injury, and Portland's Car-
LeBron James of the Los in the West guards race. which began on Christmas Stephen Curry is fourth in melo Anthony is holding
Angeles Lakers is the only In the East, Antetok- Day: Boston's Tacko Fall is the West guard vote so far the No. 8 spot in the West
other player to top the ounmpo, Philadelphia's sixth in the East frontcourt despite being sidelined by frontcourt race. q