The National Basketball Association's commissioner is the organization's main executive (NBA). Adam Silver is the current commissioner, having taken over for David Stern on February 1, 2014. The commissioner is responsible for all aspects of league business, including organizing and conducting all NBA games, deciding rule changes, and managing all relationships with players, owners, and employees.
The commissioner is usually elected by his peers after a previous commissioner has stepped down or died. The election takes place during the annual general meeting of shareholders; it is not an official vote of the players. The current commissioner was chosen in a unanimous decision by their fellow owners on September 18, 2014, the first day of the 2014-2015 season. Before David Stern became the first commissioner in 1978, the position was known as NBA president; before that, it was called secretary-treasurer.
Commissioners are given four years in office, but may be asked to resign if they are unable to produce a proposed new ownership group before their fourth year expires. If no commissioner can be found, then the chairman of the board of governors will serve as interim commissioner until the next annual meeting at which time the position will become open again.
Silver, Adam The National Basketball Association's commissioner is the organization's main executive (NBA)...
Commissioner of the NBA | |
---|---|
Incumbent Adam Silver since February 1, 2014 | |
Inaugural holder | Maurice Podoloff |
Formation | 1946 |
Deputy | Mark Tatum |
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a North American professional basketball league. The league is one of the four main professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, with 30 clubs (29 in the United States and one in Canada).
The NBA is the world's most popular basketball league, and over 100 million people around the world play it every year. It is split into two conferences: the Western Conference, which includes all the teams from California, Nevada, and Arizona; and the Eastern Conference, which includes all the teams from New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New Jersey.
Each team plays between 70 and 76 games during the regular season, which lasts from October to April. The playoffs are then played out over five weeks, ending with the championship game on May 12. The current champion is the Toronto Raptors.
There have been 26 men's basketball champions as well as one women's champion. The NBA was founded in 1946 by the remaining members of the BAA after that league rejected an offer from the Harlem Globetrotters to merge. The first season ended with the Philadelphia Warriors defeating the New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the Finals.
The league has had only three different franchises win the title: the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Golden State Warriors.
The top official in the NBA is known as the "crew chief," and he is assisted by one referee and one umpire. Two-man crews comprise of a referee and an umpire in FIBA-sanctioned play, whereas three-man crews consist of a referee and two umpires. Regardless, both types of officials have equal authority over nearly every element of the game. They can make rulings on defense, goaltending, fakes, charges, and even ball possession; indeed, they control the flow of the game much like a coach.
All basketball games include four players on each side, except when there is only one player left on the court (then it's five). That means that at least five people are involved in any given game, whether they know it or not. The person in charge is usually the captain, but other players may be given certain responsibilities, such as passing the ball or guarding specific opponents. Even though managers are not allowed to touch the ball during a game, they often help out by serving as spot-up shooters or facilitators off of defensive rebounds.
In addition to the obvious roles of cheerleaders and hostesses, coaches also serve as role models for their players. They teach them how to compete on the court and give encouragement when needed. Coaches do not get paid anything special, although some may receive bonuses for winning games or making it into the playoffs.
Collins' announcement was lauded by NBA Commissioner David Stern. We have known the Collins family since Jason and Jarron joined the NBA in 2001, as Adam Silver and I told Jason, and they have been exceptional members of the NBA family. They have worked tirelessly to build a strong relationship with China and bring basketball to the world's most populous country. We wish them great success going forward.
Silver also had nice things to say about Larry when he announced the news on Wednesday night: "Larry was a true pioneer for women's basketball. Her influence on the game is evident throughout the NBA. She helped to break down barriers for female athletes and was one of the first coaches to work with an all-female coaching staff."
Jason Kidd said it best when he told ESPN, "She did a lot for the game. She did so much for women's basketball. I think she'll be missed."
Now that Larry has stepped down from her post, who is the next person to hold the title of President of the WNBA? The Board of Governors will begin the search for a new president soon after hiring someone to replace Larry. Based on past performance, we can expect the person selected to be non-male and non-black.
The major Jewish link to the NBA is currently in the owners' box (at least a dozen of the league's 30 clubs are owned by Jews) and corporate headquarters (current commissioner Adam Silver succeeded David Stern earlier this year).
Adolph Schayes distinguished out among the league's Jewish players. The Bronx native, the son of Romanian immigrants, was possibly the most renowned professional Jewish athlete to ever play his sport, comparable to Sandy Koukax and Hank Greenberg in baseball.
Pau Gasol (Spain), Yao Ming (China), Dirk Nowitski (Germany), Manu Ginobili (Argentina), and Tony Parker are among the numerous players in the league (France). The rest of the NBA facts will be explained below. The NBA's origins can be traced back to two leagues. The Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) were the two organizations (NBL). The BAA was founded in 1946 by Al Cowlings and Joe Mullaney who wanted to create a team for which they would not have to pay any fees to existing teams in the city where they planned to play.
The first season of the BAA was played with just six teams, all of them based in cities where there was already a professional basketball team. The remaining teams were based in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. The inaugural season ended with the Chicago Zephyrs defeating the Philadelphia Warriors in the final game. From 1947 to 1949, the BAA merged with the NBL to form what is now known as the NBA. In 1951, the NBA broke away from the NBL and has not looked back since. In 2002, the Toronto Raptors became the first Canadian team to make it to the NBA Finals when they defeated the Miami Heat 4 games to 1. Since then, several other Canadian teams have appeared in the playoffs including the Vancouver Grizzlies, the Sacramento Kings, and the Montreal Jazz.
Now about those names on the list. Pau Gasol is a Spanish forward who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers.