Larry O'Brien
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Larry O'Brien was appointed in 1975 by the National Basketball Association to serve nationally as its commissioner, where he directed the successful merger of the NBA with the American Basketball Association, negotiated television-broadcast agreements with CBS Television, and saw game attendance increase significantly. He continued this service through 1984. The NBA Championship Trophy was renamed in 1984 the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy in honor of his service to the sport of basketball.
[edit] NBA career highlights
- League expanded from 18 to 23 teams under O'Brien with the addition of the Dallas Mavericks in 1980
- Coordinated the NBA's richest TV contract (1982)
- Brought the NBA to cable television (ESPN and USA) in 1982, establishing the league as a cable TV pioneer
- Negotiated two landmark collective bargaining agreements (1976, 1983)
- Modified the college draft and restored peace to a league in the midst of legal turmoil (1976)
- Negotiated the NBA/ABA merger as Denver, San Antonio, Indiana, and the New York Nets joined the league
- Introduced salary cap (1983)
- Orchestrated the settlement of the Oscar Robertson lawsuit, creating a fair and equitable system of free agency for veterans
- Annual NBA attendance reached 10 million during his tenure
- Gate receipts doubled and television revenue tripled during his time as commissioner
- Established NBA College Scholarship program (1980)
- Reached a stringent anti-drug agreement with the NBA Players Association (1983)
- Oversaw the adoption of the three-point field goal in the NBA (1979)
