Thank You Mr NBA | David Stern Dies at 77

January 1st, 2020 was a sad day for the NBA community. Former NBA commissioner died from a brain hemorrhage. Mr. Stern transcended the culture of sports by propelling the NBA into a global phenomenon. On December 12, Mr Stern was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage which required an emergency surgery. A brain hemorrhage is a form of stroke, which can be cause by hypertension, dilated blood vessels, or trauma. Following Mr Stern’s surgery he was on a breathing tube and unconscious. His wife Diane and son Eric were together with their beloved father throughout the process. Mr.Stern has been responsible for opening various doors for the NBA globally and implemented the idea of marketing superstar athletes such as: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

MR.NBA

Michael Jordan receives 1996 NBA Finals MVP award.

“His vision and leadership provided me with the global stage that allowed me to succeed.”

— Michael Jordan

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In 1984 David Stern took over as the NBA’s commissioner at a time when the league was at a crossroad. Several franchises had financial instabilities with no major television deals, thus lack of global reach stifled the league. Ultimately under the guidance of Mr Stern the NBA expanded into the most progressive Sports league in the world. Here are some interesting statistics of the NBA during Mr. Stern’s 30-year tenure. According to Forbes:

1. The NBA player salary cap grew from 3.6 million to 59 million dollars.

2. The NBA television revenue grew from 22 million to 930 million dollars.

3. NBA Franchise value grew from 400 million to 19 billion dollars.

DAVID STERN

September 22 1942- January 1 2020

“We need to give David Stern a lot of credit, we both helped change the world in a sense and I thank him for that.”

— Magic Johnson

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As mentioned earlier David Stern being the visionary that he is capitalize off his strategy of marketing prominent NBA Superstars into global icons. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were larger than life during the 1980s and from a cultural standpoint they both helped bridge the gap between racism in sports. For first time in history NBA players were allowed to participate in the Olympics thanks to Mr. Stern’s blessing. In 1992 The Dream Team were the stars of the show in the Barcelona Olympics capturing a Gold Medal. One can make the argument that this was one of the biggest moments for the NBA, to have a team full of NBA legends representing their respective country and being a global ambassador for the NBA. The brilliance of Mr. Stern will never go unnoticed. It’s safe to say that Mr.Stern surpassed all the expectations sought out for the NBA.

NBA Global

David Stern with Nelson Mandela

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Under the David Stern era he’s influenced the way NBA athletes approach the sport, dress, and give back to their communities. From the implementation of the NBA D-League, WNBA, and the worldwide partnerships Mr Stern’s unparalleled vision changed the face of professional sports. With all his unprecedented success the one person that expresses his deep gratitude for Mr Stern is current NBA commissioner Adam Silver. Silver worked alongside Stern as an intern learning the business of the NBA, the two spent countless hours in meetings, on phone calls, on flights. In 2014 Mr Stern decided that it was time to pass the torch to Adam Silver. Mr. Silver continues to guide our league in a positive direction and will forever pay homage to his mentor and cultural Icon Mr.Stern. David Stern will go down as one of the greatest monumental figures in the history of sports.

“Because of David, the NBA is a truly global brand — making him not only one of the greatest sports commissioners of all time but also one of the most influential business leaders of his generation,”

— Adam Silver (NBA Comissioner)

VISIONARY

NBA DRAFT ‘13 (Brooklyn, NY)

“ Thank you for service to the world and your commitment to greatest sport in the world. At 9 years old my dream was to walk across that stage on Draft night and shake your hand. you will be truly missed, I send my deepest condolences to your loved ones and family. “ - Hussein A.

Figure: David Stern

September 22, 1942- January 1 2020

Special Thanks: @cnn, @blecaherreport, @nba,

Graphics by: @tgq.inc

Gilas Pilipinas | Sincerely Yours

Early on this year I tried to get out from the city to see what world experiences I needed to capture for myself. One thing for sure and two things for certain, connecting with the world is an incredible feeling that we as humans shall not take for granted. My experiences of traveling, seeing different environments, and different people shaped your perspectives, and even world views at times. As you mature you understand the importance of “BALANCE”, and how to escape the self-isolation of your world. Being in the realm of sports, I’ve had the unique pleasure to travel all around different continents (North America, Europe, and Asia). Every new country that I’ve visited reminds me how big our world is. The Philippines is a special place for myself because it replicates a culture similar to the one I grew up in. Throughout my trip I’ve created lasting memories that I’ll share with the world as well as my audience. From the Philippines unique food culture, sneakers, art, basketball, and fashion.

BASKETBALL NEVER STOPS

Location: Ronac Art Centre

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1. Nike Hypercourt (Manila)

   Manila has become publicly acknowledged for it’s unique basketball culture. Anyone that knows about Filipino culture knows their appreciation for food, family, and basketball. The historical Nike Hypercourt in BGC opened its doors to the basketball community in early 2017. Hypercourt is embedded in the Filipino basketball culture as it served several hoopers in Manila, Nike did a great job implementing something of great significance for the community. With the emergence of the PBA (Philippines Basketball Association) several basketball fans have flooded the courts of manila in hopes of starting a new hobby. Unfortunately, the news is out the Hypercourt is set to close at the end of 2019. Due to the city’s redevelopment plans the landowners will reclaim its property. In commemoration of the court Nike Manila hosted a 3x3 tournament as a grand closing of their iconic court. Special guests from Team Nike and the Gold Medal Men’s Seas Games team were all in attendance. Rumors are out that new courts are being designed in the south of Manila and will be open in late 2020.

NIKE MANILA 3x3

“Since Hyper Court launched 2 years ago at the BGC, it has cemented its position as a thriving hub for Filipino ballers.”

— Jino Ferrer (Nike Manila Marketing Manager)

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2.Ronac Art Centre (Manila)

The Greenhills district in Manila is known for its rich art culture, shopping and fine cuisine. We had the pleasure of visiting the Ronac Art Centre, which is a four story facility with a private art lounge, basketball court, apparel store, and restaurant. Iconic legends such as @djbigboycheng helped garner traction through the Ronac Art Centre, with the addition of his Secret Fresh brand and Rif Manila store. The architectural structure of Ronac is one of a kind, curating a lifestyle for modern day Filipinos. Owner Bigboy Cheng and assistant John Roy have done a phenomenal job cultivating their brands ( F&F art lounge, Secret Fresh Gallery, RiF Manila) and engaging with the Manila community. Over the years I’ve found my deep appreciation for Art; It’s a unique representation of what our world looks like. Local artist throughout Manila get the chance to showcase their art at Ronac’s Live shows and events. So many dope artist around Manila get to benefit of the likeness of their work as well as show the world their beautiful work of art.

Ronac Art Centre Owner @johnroy68 with @revibeto Founders (@justizokeke, @joshprehab), & @twingq

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3. Sea Games 2019

Manila was home to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games). The Sea games is a multi-sports event that was held in the Philippines in hopes of building there unique sports culture. With over 5,000 participating athletes the Philippines won an astonishing 387 medals, including 149 Gold medals. Nike Athlete and Toronto native Matthew Wright shared a special moment with his family as he accepted the gold medal shortly after defeating Thailand. For the Women’s they claimed it’s first ever-gold medal at the 2019 Sea games. Both Women and Men’s Basketball squads captured gold medals, a very iconic moment for Pilipinas Basketball. With the Men’s capturing their gold medal at the Sea Games, will they use this momentum to punch their ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Games? The last time we seen team Pilipinas in the Olympics was 2016 in Rio. Some may say that playing in front of your hometown is the ultimate advantage, but History was made at the 30th SEA games.

“I thought basketball in North America was big, until I seen everyone wearing basketball jerseys”

— Twingq (Founder of TGQ Inc.

GOLDEN MOMENT

2019 Sea Games Champions

Thanks: @nikebasketball,@rif.manila, @2019seagamesphiliphines,

Figures: @djbigboycheng, @johnroy68,

Photography by: @kyoshinn

Produced by: @tgq.inc