It is a very sad day in the world of Basketball, as former NBA Commissioner, David Stern, passed away today at the age of 77. Stern was first involved in the NBA in 1966, when he was hired by the law firm that represented the league. In 1978, he was officially hired by the NBA, as he became General Counsel under the then Commissioner, Larry O’Brien. He would then take over for O’Brien on February 1, 1984. Stern would serve in this capacity for precisely 30 years. Under his tenure, the NBA grew by seven teams, and expanded into Canada. He oversaw the expansion…