Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
Sep 1, 2024
Table of Contents
Adam Silver, born April 25, 1962, is the current commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and has served as the CEO of the league for the last decade. Over his 32-year career with the NBA, Silver has made tough decisions, generated significant revenue, expanded the league globally, and created new opportunities for success and entertainment.
Silver was born in Rye, New York, and raised in a Jewish-American family. His father, Edward Silver, was a labor law lawyer and a senior partner at the law firm Proskauer Rose. After graduating high school in 1980 from Rye High School, Adam followed in his father’s footsteps of getting a law degree. Silver attended Duke University, and graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in political science. He worked as a legislative aide for a year, under a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Silver went on to attend the University of Chicago Law School, and graduated with his juris doctor degree (J.D. degree). After law school, Adam spent a year as a law clerk for a member of the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York and then joined a law firm as an associate.
Silver joined the NBA in 1992 and has since held various pivotal roles within the league, including deputy commissioner, chief operating officer, and president and COO of NBA Entertainment. During his eight years with NBA Entertainment, Silver was an executive producer of notable projects such as the IMAX movie ‘Michael Jordan to the Max’ and ‘Whatever Happened to Michael Ray?’. He also contributed to the production side of ‘Like Mike’ and ‘The Year of the Yao’.
On October 25, 2012, David Stern, who had been NBA Commissioner for 30 years, endorsed Adam Silver as his successor. On February 1, 2014, Stern stepped down, and Silver was unanimously approved by NBA Owners to become the fifth commissioner since the NBA’s founding in 1946. Silver’s leadership continues to propel change in the NBA, cementing his legacy as monumental to the league’s history.
Adam Silver’s tenure in the NBA has been greatly successful and impactful. He has helped the league grow economically and allowed the NBA to exert great influence locally and globally. Silver is vocal about social justice issues and encourages the athletes to do the same, by supporting them in their silent protests and outright fight for justice.
Two months into his role as commissioner, Adam Silver faced a tough and controversial decision that ultimately earned him a lot of respect and trust from those working under him and league fans. Former LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, was caught on tape making racist remarks in a lengthy phone call conversation with his ex-girlfriend, V. Stiviano. The conversation upset many people, and Silver knew he couldn’t allow this to blow by. He handed Sterling a lifetime ban from the NBA and issued him to sell the LA Clippers via a vote out from the league’s Board of Governors. Additionally, Silver fined Sterling $2.5 million was the maximum fine amount allowed under the NBA’s constitution at the time. This action set the tone for Silver’s position as commissioner and demonstrated his commitment to upholding the league’s values.
In the NBA’s 78-year history, the league had never postponed or shut down a season. Adam Silver was determined to maintain this record during his tenure. To save the 2019-2020 season amid the pandemic, the NBA created a virtual “NBA city,” which included new practice and game surfaces and expanded facilities. This $190 million investment required exceptional logistics and communication but ultimately generated approximately $1.5 billion in revenue, showcasing Silver’s innovative leadership and commitment to the league.
The 2020 NBA Bubble was a secure space at Walt Disney World in Florida, created by Adam Silver and a team of experts to protect players from COVID-19. It hosted the final eight games of the 2019-2020 regular season and the 2020 NBA Playoffs. Out of the 30 teams, 22 were invited, while the other eight did not qualify for the postseason. The games were held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, with teams staying at Disney World hotels.
To maintain safety and control, a rigorous testing process was implemented. Daily testing and updates on negative test results underscored the importance of the strict protocols that were working. As weeks passed without COVID-19 cases, the commitment to these protocols was reinforced, motivating everyone to maintain their diligence in the process. By the end of the bubble season, there were zero positive cases, making a successful, impactful, and historic investment by Adam Silver and his team.
The origins of the Emirates NBA Cup (formally known as the NBA In-Season Tournament) date back to around 2009, when league executives first proposed the idea to then-commissioner David Stern. The concept remained dormant until Adam Silver took over in 2014. Silver then tasked Evan Wasch, the current NBA Executive VP of Basketball Strategy and Analytics, with bringing the idea to fruition. The goal was to enhance engagement for fans and players, particularly during the slow start of the regular season, while also generating new revenue streams for the league.
The tournament takes place during the regular season, with 30 NBA teams divided into six groups (three Western Conference and three Eastern Conference groups) of five teams each. Each team plays its group members once, and then eight teams advance to a single-elimination tournament. The team with the best record in each group advances, along with one team from each conference with the second-best record in group play.
As teams are eliminated in the single-elimination rounds, a championship game determines the winner of the NBA Cup. The 2023-2024 season marked the tournament’s debut, with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the inaugural championship. LeBron James was named the first tournament MVP.
Related article: Los Angeles Lakers Win 17th NBA Title, LeBron James: “We just want our respect.”
Farewell Warner Bros
For the last decade, Adam Silver has been playing chess, not checkers, making strategic moves to bring more revenue, engagement, and a sense of community to the NBA. While he has been highly successful in his role, it goes without saying that leading the league comes with its share of backlash and public disagreements. In late July 20204, the NBA signed its 11-year media rights deal with Disney, NBC, and Amazon Prime Video after turning down Warner Bros. Discovery’s $1.8 billion per year offer to continue its longtime relationship with the league.
The deal, approved by the league’s Board of Governors, will bring the NBA approximately $76 billion over the next 11 years. This decision means the 2024-2025 season will be the last for TNT after nearly four decades of coverage, a move that has disappointed many fans of the award-winning studio show ‘Inside the NBA’. This show is a staple for NBA fans, as it covers games and the postseason weekly. Many TNT crew members, including basketball legend, Shaquille O’Neal, were surprised by the decision. O’Neal posted clips on social media reminiscing about his time working alongside Charles Barkley, another NBA great. The two played a huge role in the entertainment and success of the TNT show.
Adam Silver felt that the move was necessary for the financial growth of the league. However, the decision left many people in the NBA community unsatisfied with the Commissioner. Following the announcement, fans and affected workers voiced their opinions online.
Related article: Coronavirus Causes Launch of Amazon Prime Video Cinema Bringing Latest Theatrical Releases to Instant Streaming
Conclusion
As Adam Silver enters another season as NBA Commissioner, it will be intriguing to see how the league continues to evolve under his leadership. His journey has been marked by significant achievements, including increased revenue, navigating the challenges of COVID-19, enhanced fan engagement, and expanded global interaction. Silver’s proven ability to lead and drive the league forward makes his future decisions and their positive impact highly probable.
By Kaili Spooner
Click here to read The Hollywood Insider’s CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Cinema, TV and Media. An excerpt from the love letter: The Hollywood Insider’s CEO/editor-in-chief Pritan Ambroase affirms, “We have the space and time for all your stories, no matter who/what/where you are. Media/Cinema/TV have a responsibility to better the world and The Hollywood Insider will continue to do so. Talent, diversity and authenticity matter in Cinema/TV, media and storytelling. In fact, I reckon that we should announce “talent-diversity-authenticity-storytelling-Cinema-Oscars-Academy-Awards” as synonyms of each other. We show respect to talent and stories regardless of their skin color, race, gender, sexuality, religion, nationality, etc., thus allowing authenticity into this system just by something as simple as accepting and showing respect to the human species’ factual diversity. We become greater just by respecting and appreciating talent in all its shapes, sizes, and forms. Award winners, which includes nominees, must be chosen on the greatness of their talent ALONE.
I am sure I am speaking for a multitude of Cinema lovers all over the world when I speak of the following sentiments that this medium of art has blessed me with. Cinema taught me about our world, at times in English and at times through the beautiful one-inch bar of subtitles. I learned from the stories in the global movies that we are all alike across all borders. Remember that one of the best symbols of many great civilizations and their prosperity has been the art they have left behind. This art can be in the form of paintings, sculptures, architecture, writings, inventions, etc. For our modern society, Cinema happens to be one of them. Cinema is more than just a form of entertainment, it is an integral part of society. I love the world uniting, be it for Cinema, TV, media, art, fashion, sport, etc. Please keep this going full speed.”
Kaili Spooner's passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider's values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
Kaili Spooner’s passion lies in sports journalism and Black TV/Film, and her writing strongly aligns with The Hollywood Insider’s values of delivering factual and in-depth coverage. While her future career goal is to be a sports journalist and do social media work for the NBA/WNBA, for now, she balances her academic pursuits with being a collegiate volleyball player at SSU and unwinding with her favorite comedy and drama sitcoms at home.
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