Pat Riley: ‘David Stern was the best professional sports commissioner ever’

Erik Spoelstra appreciated David Stern’s impact on basketball long before they met for the first time.

The Heat coach remembers when the Trail Blazers drafted Arvydas Sabonis and Drazen Petrovic in 1986. They were both international talents who might not have made it to the NBA if not for Stern.

Spoelstra’s father, Jon Spoelstra, was a member of the Trail Blazers’ front office and had a firsthand look at Stern’s influence on the sport.

“He brought this game to a global level,” Erik Spoelstra said of Stern in mid-December just days after Stern suffered a brain hemorrhage and underwent emergency surgery. “This was a direct push and vision of David Stern. Way ahead of anybody else’s vision. It was really incredible. I remember my dad spent a lot of time visiting with David Stern over the years, and he just talked about what a brilliant visionary he was for this league and that only good things were going to come from that. That always stuck out to me when I was a kid.”

Stern, who served as the NBA’s commissioner for exactly 30 years from Feb. 1, 1984, through Feb. 1, 2014, died Wednesday as a result of the brain hemorrhage he suffered on Dec. 12. He was 77.

“I remember the first time I met David Stern,” Spoelstra said. “I was intimidated in one of the NBA meetings. But I went up to him ... Just to let him know that there are a lot of people that really benefited from his vision and his leadership.”

Coaches, executives, and current and former players from around the NBA took time to pay their respects to Stern on Wednesday.

“David Stern was the best professional sports commissioner ever,” Heat president Pat Riley said in a statement. “What David did for the game of basketball was unparalleled. Everyone involved in the game during his tenure benefited in a massive way. I personally was one of them. The Miami Heat mourn with great empathy for Dianne and the Stern family. Today is a very sad day in the NBA.”

Heat managing general partner Micky Arison said in a statement: “Under David’s stewardship, the NBA and the game of basketball has grown into an international sport. The players, coaches and franchises have become international brands and global phenomenons. I spent a lot of time on committees with David and always marveled at his ability to negotiate and his ability to represent the best interest of the league in any negotiation. He ultimately always represented the love of the game and people who were part of the NBA, including the teams, players, coaches, staff and fans.

“On a personal level, his help in bringing the Miami Heat into existence, our family into the NBA and the guidance he has given me over 25 years is something we will always cherish. Some of the interactions were challenging, but most were wonderful. None more special than receiving three championship trophies from David, including the last one he gave as commissioner. On behalf of our family and the Heat, I offer our condolences to Dianne, their children and the Stern family.”

The Heat said in a statement: “The loss of David J. Stern is not just a loss for the NBA, the game of basketball and the world of sports, but rather a loss for the global community. The growth of the NBA and the global game of basketball under David’s leadership provided a platform for the League to profoundly impact the lives of so many in our communities and around the world. David did not just change the game of basketball today, but his trailblazing leadership will be felt by generations to come.

“David’s passing is very painful because of the profound impact he had on all of us. We offer our condolences to Dianne, their children and the Stern family and our thanks for sharing him with our NBA Family. The Miami Heat became a franchise when the NBA expanded under the leadership of Commissioner Stern. There is no Miami Heat without David J. Stern. For that, we simply say, ‘Thank You David.’”

Former Heat guard Dwyane Wade tweeted: “RIP David Stern! Shaking your hand on June, 26, 2003, was a dream come true.”

Former Heat forward Chris Bosh tweeted: “RIP Commissioner Stern. Thank you for everything you did for the game. Shaking your hand in 2003 [during the draft] will always be one of my most cherished memories. Sending my love and prayers to the Stern family during this time.”

Spoelstra remembers being intimidated by Stern at first, but he also remembers being blown away by his brilliance.

“Just a commanding leader,” Spoelstra said. “I remember the first time I went to the NBA head coaches’ meetings. I didn’t want to say a word. He could really command a room and lead a room and explain his vision for the league so clearly and concisely that we all walked out of that room understanding exactly the direction that we were supposed to go on behalf of the league and where the league was going to go. And a five and 10-year projection of what we could expect from this position and where the league would go. I found those meetings fascinating. Just really an incredibly brilliant man.”

All-Star watch

The initial release of fan balloting for the 2020 All-Star Game released Thursday has Heat wing Jimmy Butler (431,483 votes) fourth among Eastern Conference frontcourt players, behind Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (1,073,358), Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid (606,534) and Toronto’s Pascal Siakam (544,302).

The only other Heat player in the top 10 in either the backcourt or frontcourt categories for the first fan returns of voting is center Bam Adebayo, who is seventh among Eastern Conference frontcourt players with 104,086 votes. Boston’s Jayson Tatum (364,137) is fifth and Boston’s Tacko Fall (110,269) is sixth.

The top three finishers in the frontcourt category from each conference will be named starters for the Feb. 16 All-Star Game in Chicago. Fans account for 50 percent of the vote to determine the 10 starters for the All-Star Game, and all current NBA players and a media panel each account for 25 percent of the vote.

If Butler and/or Adebayo don’t make the All-Star Game as starters, they still will have an opportunity to get in as reserves. Conference coaches will select the seven reserves from each conference

Fan voting concludes on Jan. 20.

New decade, same job

Spoelstra is one of only three NBA head coaches who spent the entirety of the past decade in the same position with the same organization. The other two are Rick Carlisle from the Mavericks and Gregg Popovich from the Spurs.

Spoelstra’s first season as the Heat’s head coach was in 2008-09.

“That’s a shame. That’s what it says to me,” Spoelstra said of being a part of this three-man group. “I’m extremely grateful for working for the people that I do. The Arisons and coach Riley have been amazing to work for not just for me, but for all of us. How many of us have been around for the 20-plus years?

“Everybody talks about culture and family in pro sports, and there is a business to it. But we’ve lived it where we don’t just talk about it, it’s a way of life here. I’m grateful for that. It’s a poor indictment on coaching around the league. It’s a tough job and it’s tough to win in this league. You need a great deal of trust and stability, particularly through adverse moments. There’s just not enough of that.”

▪ Heat forward Justise Winslow was ruled out for a 13th consecutive game Thursday against the Raptors because of a lower back bone bruise. Rookie forward KZ Okpala (G League) and two-way contract guard Daryl Macon (G League) were also unavailable for the Heat.

The Raptors ruled out Marc Gasol (strained left hamstring), Pascal Siakam (strained groin), Norman Powell (left shoulder), Dewan Hernandez (sprained right ankle) and Matt Thomas (finger) for Thursday’s game against the Heat.