NBA commissioner's salary: How much does he make, and what are his roles and duties?

NBA commissioner's salary: How much does he make, and what are his roles and duties?

Steve Njuguna
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:23 PM

The NBA is the biggest and most popular basketball league in the world. Managing and coordinating operations in such an organisation takes a thorough and experienced individual. Today, we learn more about the NBA commissioner's salary, how much he makes, and his roles and duties.

Today we look at the NBA commissioner's salary.
Adam Silver has been the NBA"s commissioner since 2014. Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images
Source: Getty Images

Aside from looking at how much commissioners earn, we will also explore their duties and responsibilities. We will also dig into history and talk about previous commissioners.

How many commissioners has the NBA had in the past?

The NBA has had five commissioners since its inception. Here is the list below:

Commissioner

Tenure

Maurice Podoloff

1946-1963

J. Walter Kennedy

1963-1975

Larry O'Brien

1975-1984

David Stern

1984-2014

Adam Silver

2014-Present

The NBA have a culture of naming awards after past basketball commissioners.
The current NBA championship trophy is named the Larry O'Brien trophy in honour of the NBA's third-ever commissioner. Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE
Source: Getty Images

How was David Stern's tenure as NBA commissioner?

During his tenure (1984-2014), David Stern largely modernised the league and spread its influence globally. He also helped to create the Women's National Basketball Association and the Development League. He passed away in 2020.

David Stern's time as NBA commissioner saw huge growth.
David Stern ushered the league into the modern era and made it a global brand. Photo by David Liam Kyle
Source: Getty Images

Who is the current NBA commissioner?

As of 2023, Adam Silver is the commissioner and chief executive of the NBA. He is a lawyer by profession. Silver has been in charge of the league since 2014. Silver has worked for the organisation since 1992 in various capacities, including head of entertainment and deputy commissioner.

Current NBA commissioner Silver has worked in basketball for the last 3 decades.
Adam Silver at a past basketball game. Photo by Steve Dykes
Source: Getty Images

What are the NBA commissioner's duties and responsibilities?

The duties of the head of the National Basketball Association include overseeing operations, enforcing rules and regulations, and making decisions that are in the best interest of the league and its stakeholders. Other responsibilities include managing finances, negotiating television and sponsorship deals, and representing the league in legal and labour matters.

The chief executive also serves as the spokesperson for the league and is responsible for promoting the game to fans, media, and other stakeholders. Additionally, he can discipline or fine teams, players, and other personnel for league rules and regulations violations. An example is when Adam Silver banned former LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life after his racist tirade in 2014.

Searching for sponsorships is among the duties of the NBA commissioner.
Adam Silver at a sponsorship event. Photo by David Sherman
Source: Getty Images

Who pays the NBA commissioner?

The commissioner is paid from the league's revenue. This includes revenues from advertisement and sponsorship deals.

How much does the NBA commissioner make?

Adam Silver earns an annual salary of $10 million. His current contract runs out at the end of the 2023-24 season.

Who is the NBA's deputy commissioner?

Mark Tatum is the deputy commissioner of the National Basketball Association. He has held the role since 2014.

Mark Tatum is the NBA's Deputy commissioner.
Mark Tatum at the 2017 draft. Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler
Source: Getty Images

How much does the NBA's deputy commissioner make?

According to credible sources, Mark Tatum is paid $ 8 million annually for his role.

Mark Tatum earns $8million as his NBA deputy commissioner's salary.
Mark Tatum at the 2021 draft lottery. Photo by Steve Freeman
Source: Getty Images

Who is the WNBA's commissioner?

Cathy Englebert is the WNBA's commissioner. She has headed the WNBA since 2019. She is an accounting professional. Cathy has previously worked as president of the global financial firm Deloitte.

Cathy Englebert is the WNBA's commissioner?
Cathy Englebert as a press briefing. Photo by Randy Belice/NBAE
Source: Getty Images

Leading a global organisation as big as the National Basketball Association requires smart decision-making and innovation. That's why all the big executives get equally big salaries. That was the breakdown of the NBA commissioner's salary, roles, and duties.

READ MORE: Ranking zodiac signs from the most to the least athletic.

Sportsbrief recently ranked zodiac signs from most to least athletic. Different zodiac signs portray different personality traits about individuals, which can help us deduce their level of suitability for athleticism.

Signs like Aries and Scorpio are associated with aggressive and driven individuals. Athletes born during those respective periods are likely to have leadership traits. Click on the link above to find out what your zodiac sign says about your athletic abilities!

Authors
Steve Njuguna photo
Steve Njuguna
Steve Njuguna is a media professional with close to a decade of experience in the sports media industry. He has previously worked as a sports journalist with Bamba Sports TV, Vybez Radio and The Nairobian newspaper.