David Stern Pro Quotations

NBA teams have embraced the NBA Development League as a place to give their young roster players the opportunity to improve and as a source for game tested talent in case of injury. As a result, more investors are seeking to bring the D-League to their communities.

Our minor league has a proven track record of developing talent both on and off the court, with more than 100 players, coaches, referees, athletic trainers and front-office personnel moving to NBA teams or the league office, and we look for that trend to continue.

Basketball without Borders is truly a global program that transcends all boundaries. It unites young people from diverse cultural, national and economic backgrounds on four continents.

I fully expect to be visiting Seattle in the relatively near future to weigh in on that subject and I'm quite on record as saying that Seattle has what is the least competitive lease in the league, which is a decided economic disadvantage. I think if that situation is not ultimately improved ... I think that the board of governors at the expiration of the lease would be inclined to listen to their partner's request for an opportunity to be in a place where there is a good lease and a good facility.

The use of incense was very common in olden times. It was employed for profane purposes as an antidote to the lassitude caused by very great heat, as perfumes are now used. Mention of its introduction into pagan worship is made by classical writers, but today it has brought people together.

It's not a very good lease, to say the least it's the worst in the league. The city says they're not prepared to do anything to improve it. I don't think this is a difficult choice.

Allen proves as well as anyone else has ever proven that if you've got game and you leave it all out there, you pick up the admiration of people around the world. And we love to see that happening. Because that's what shows our game at its best, sort of the teamwork, what it takes to play at the level and what he's willing to put up with in terms of injuries to continue to excel at this level.

As it's properly understood, it will be embraced, ... The union's fine with it. It's quite liberal and easygoing.

The perception problem was there, and therefore it was real, ... We were focusing on that issue even before the brawl, but it certainly was an exclamation point in terms of perceptions of NBA players. We've got to do a better job of both acknowledging it and working to correct it.

I was pleased to find somebody analyzing pro sports, as thought to be a business. I was impressed with his professionalism and his understanding of the key drivers in our business. His conclusions were all wrong, but that led to some friendly and heated debate, and that was the start of our friendship.

I regret the 1998 - 99 lockout. I regret that we didn't work harder to educate our players and our owners about what the damage would be. I never can quite come up with the answer on what else we should have done, but I always blame a part of the problem on us and some part on the players.

We're going to Las Vegas because we think it's a great destination city. They have removed the All-Star events from the betting line, and we think that we have no problem with people who want to go there and gamble.

I think Dave has a very keen understanding of assets and their values. I understood him (buying the Blues) as a sign of great confidence he had in the new NHL model and ... that he thought he would be able to buy the team and profit on it. And I have no doubt that he will.

All options are on the table. I think he worked hard to improve the team in Portland. He built the Rose Garden. At some point, he's entitled to say he's not going to subsidize it any further.

In my mind, there's been an enormous investment made and it's the beginning of a process that's quite extensive. As far as we understand it, the Nets are planning to be in Brooklyn in the next three years or so, but we don't control that process. All we do is get to receive their reports and ultimately approve the move.

Is (pro bono work) considered in the associate's evaluation? Will it be considered in their favor? Unfortunately it is not the case. ... Most firms do not prize pro bono as a criterion for partnership. You can count them on one hand.