David Stern was NBA Commissioner from 1984-2014. He was a visionary who helped the league grow from a sport that had its biggest games shown on tape delay to a worldwide phenomenon seen in nearly every country on the planet. In Part I of this two part interview, David discusses his humble beginnings working in his father’s deli to his work as a lawyer for the NBA, to his reign as Commissioner, to his vision to make basketball a global game, to the recent controversy involving China, and even his reaction when HOOP magazine airbrushed Allen Iverson’s tattoos for a cover photo back in 2000. David also discusses his successor Adam Silver, how he originally brought him to the league, and his opinion on the quality of his performance as Commissioner. This was an exclusive interview and a rare podcast appearance for David. With Mike Wise, one of the preeminent basketball journalists of our time asking the questions, David Stern showed a side of himself that few have seen or heard.