Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner

Larry O’Brien was the NBA’s first true commissioner, and he’s widely considered to be the greatest in the history of the league. He helped shape the NBA into the global powerhouse it is today, and his impact is still felt today. In this blog post, we take a look at his life and career, and why he’s considered to be the greatest commissioner in NBA history

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the game

Larry O’Brien was the NBA’s third commissioner, serving from 1975 to 1984. He is widely considered to be the greatest commissioner in NBA history due to his many significant contributions to the game. During his tenure, O’Brien oversaw the NBA’s expansion from 22 to 30 teams, and helped to create the modern day NBA schedule He also negotiated lucrative television contracts with CBS and NBC, which helped to increase the popularity of the sport. In addition, O’Brien was instrumental in establishing the NBA Finals as a prime-time event. Under his leadership, the league flourished like never before, and became one of the most popular sports leagues in the world.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His legacy

Larry O’Brien was the NBA’s third commissioner, serving from 1975 to 1984. He is credited with helping to grow the league and making it more profitable. He negotiated lucrative television contracts, oversaw the addition of four new franchises, and instituted a salary cap that kept player salaries in check. He also helped to create the NBA Finals format that is still in use today. Upon his retirement, he was given the title of “Commissioner Emeritus” and remained involved with the league as a consultant. He passed away in 1990 at the age of 72.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the business of basketball

Larry O’Brien’s impact on the business of basketball cannot be overstated. He is widely considered the greatest commissioner in the history of the NBA, and his accomplishments speak for themselves. Under his tenure, the NBA saw unprecedented growth in popularity and profitability.

During his time as commissioner, O’Brien negotiated groundbreaking television deals that resulted in the NBA being broadcast on multiple networks for the first time. He also oversaw the expansion of the league, which led to the creation of new franchises in cities across the United States This increased exposure for the NBA and helped to grow the sport’s popularity even further.

O’Brien’s legacy extends beyond just business successes, though. He was also a driving force behind many of the league’s most important social initiatives, including its anti-drug program and its efforts to promote racial equality.

Thanks in part to Larry O’Brien’s visionary leadership, the NBA is now one of the most popular and profitable professional sports leagues in the world.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the players

Even if you’re not a Basketball Fan you’ve probably heard of Larry O’Brien. He was the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1975 to 1984, during which time the league saw some of its greatest changes and expansions. But what you may not know is that O’Brien had a tremendous impact on the players as well.

One of the most significant changes that O’Brien implemented was the introduction of Free agency Prior to 1975, players were bound to their teams for life. But with free agency players were finally able to choose which team they wanted to play for. This gave them more power and control over their careers, and ultimately led to higher salaries and better working conditions.

O’Brien was also instrumental in increasing the size of player contracts. In 1975, the average NBA salary was just $35,000. But by 1984, it had ballooned to an astounding $500,000 – thanks in large part to O’Brien’s advocacy on behalf of the players.

Perhaps most importantly, though, O’Brien helped create a situation where players could make a good living playing basketball Prior to his tenure as commissioner, many players had to supplement their income with off-season jobs just to make ends meet. But thanks to O’Brien’s leadership, players were finally able to focus on basketball full-time and make a comfortable living doing what they loved.

So the next time you watch an NBA game take a moment to think about Larry O’Brien and all that he did for the players. Without him, the NBA – and Professional Basketball as we know it – would be very different today.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the fans

As the Commissioner of the National Basketball Association Larry O’Brien was one of the most important and powerful figures in the sport. He helped to shape the NBA into the incredibly successful global enterprise it is today, and his impact on the game is still felt by fans around the world.Larry O’Brien was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on September 7th, 1932. He was raised in a strict Catholic household and educated at Catholic schools. After graduating from college, he worked as a bank teller before joining the United States Army. He served in the Army for two years before returning to Massachusetts to work in politics.

O’Brien’s first foray into sports came in 1964 when he was hired as the administrator for Boston’s newly formed professional Hockey Team the Bruins. He did an impressive job with the team, helping them to secure a Stanley Cup victory in their first season. This led to him being offered a job with the NBA’s expansion franchise in Philadelphia, which he accepted.

As General Manager of the 76ers, O’Brien was responsible for building the team from scratch. He did an excellent job, putting together a roster that would go on to win an NBA Championship in its second season.

After five successful years with the 76ers, O’Brien was hired as Commissioner of the NBA by then-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jack Kent Cooke. He would go on to serve as Commissioner for another five years until Cooke sold the team to Jerry Buss.

During his time as Commissioner, O’Brien oversaw some of the most important moments in NBA history including Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 point game Kareem Abdul Jabbar’s record-setting 38 points per game season, and Magic Johnson’s rookie year where he led The Showtime Lakers to an NBA Championship He also negotiated landmark television contracts that resulted in exponential growth for the league.

In 1984, after serving as Commissioner for eleven years, Larry O’Brien retired from his position. He remained active within basketball though, serving on various committees and working as a consultant for several teams including his beloved Boston Celtics

Larry O’Brien passed away on September 27th, 1990 at age 58 after suffering from a heart attack. His legacy continues on though; he was posthumously inducted into both The Basketball Hall of Fame and The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame thanks to his significant contribution to basketball both as a player and executive.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the media

Larry O’Brien, who served as NBA Commissioner from 1975 to 1984, is widely regarded as the greatest commissioner in the history of the league. He was instrumental in growing the NBA’s television exposure and negotiated landmark television contracts that revolutionized the league’s revenues. Under his leadership, the NBA also implemented a drug testing program and introduced a number of rule changes that helped make the game more exciting for fans.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the game of basketball

Larry O’Brien was the third commissioner of the National Basketball Association serving from 1975 to 1984. He is credited with helping to make the NBA what it is today. Under his leadership, the leaguesaw a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity.

O’Brien was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1917. He graduated from Holy Cross College in 1939 and then went on to law school at Boston College After serving in the Navy during World War II, he began his career as a lawyer in Boston. In 1950, he became involved in politics, working on the presidential campaign of Adlai Stevenson.

In 1962, O’Brien was appointed by President John F. Kennedy to serve as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He held this position until 1968, when he resigned to become postmaster general under President Lyndon B. Johnson.

In 1974, O’Brien was approached about becoming commissioner of the NBA. At that time, the league was in a period of turmoil, with several teams on the verge of financial collapse. O’Brien’s experience in politics and his knowledge of business made him an ideal candidate for the job.

As commissioner, O’Brien helped negotiate several landmark contracts, including a groundbreaking television deal with CBS. He also oversaw the relocation of several franchises and worked to expand the league’s reach into new markets. Under his leadership, attendance at NBA games increased and interest in the sport grew exponentially.

O’Brien retired from his role as commissioner in 1984 but remained active in basketball, serving on the board of directors for both the Boston Celtics and Boston Garden Corporation. He passed away in 1990 at the age of 72.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the league

Larry O’Brien’s impact on the NBA is immeasurable. He is the man responsible for modernizing the NBA, and his legacy will continue to be felt for years to come. Here are just some of the ways that Larry O’Brien changed the NBA:

-He helped create the Draft Lottery system, which prevents teams from tanking in order to get a high draft pick

-He negotiated a landmark television contract with NBC, which helped increase the popularity of the NBA.

-He oversaw the expansion of the NBA into new markets, such as Canada and Europe.

-He brought in new rules and regulations that increased parity among teams, making it easier for small market teams to compete with large market teams.

Larry O’Brien’s impact on the NBA is truly legendary, and he will go down as one of the greatest commissioners in sports history.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the world of basketball

Larry O’Brien was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on July 7th, 1917. He graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1938. O’Brien began his career in basketball as the public relations director for the National Basketball League’s Worcester Pipers from 1938 to 1946. In 1946, he joined the Boston Celtics as their public relations director and he remained with the team until 1951. O’Brien then became the general manager of the tri-city Blackhawks from 1951 to 1953.

In 1954, Larry O’Brien was elected as the NBA’s third commissioner, succeeding Maurice Podoloff. As commissioner, O’Brien was instrumental in expanding the NBA’s footprint both domestically and internationally. He oversaw the league’s merger with the rival American Basketball Association in 1976, which resulted in a massive increase in popularity for the NBA. Under O’Brien’s leadership, basketball became a truly global game

Today, Larry O’Brien is widely recognized as one of the greatest commissioners in not just basketball, but all of professional sports His impact on the game of basketball is immeasurable and his legacy will live on forever.

Larry O’Brien: The NBA’s Greatest Commissioner – His impact on the sport of basketball

No matter how you look at it, Larry O’Brien was one of the greatest commissioners in the history of not just the NBA, but all of professional sports His impact on the game of basketball is still felt to this day, and his legacy will continue to live on for many years to come.