Twenty years later, Michael Jordan was recognized as the "number one player in the League."
But from a League management perspective, NBA's number one had to be David Stern!
In 1984, the NBA's value plunged to 15.5 million USD, on the brink of bankruptcy. David Stern, a lawyer by trade, assumed the role of commissioner during this time, and a series of reforms revived the League.
To create buzz, he transformed the All-Star Game into the All-Star Weekend, adding technical competitions such as the "Dunk Contest" and "Three-Point Shooting Contest," allowing players to engage with fans in a variety of ways.
Another major initiative was, of course, the "Christmas Day Games"!