Larry Fleisher
Inducted:
1991
Stats
Born
September 26, 1930
The Bronx, New York
Died
May 4, 1989
Manhattan, New York
Position
Contributor
College
Harvard Law School
Larry Fleisher was one of the most influential figures in NBA history, serving as general counsel for the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) from 1963 to 1987. A pioneering labor attorney, Fleisher played a central role in transforming the economic landscape of professional basketball.
Over the next quarter-century, serving largely without a salary, he pioneered the concepts of player pensions, minimum salaries, and health benefits. Perhaps his greatest legacy was the "Grand Bargain" of 1983; alongside David Stern, he negotiated the first-ever salary cap in professional sports.
For his role in building the modern NBA's economic foundation, Fleisher was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.
Fleisher's Awards and Honors
- Founder and First General Counsel of the NBPA
- Architect of the NBA Salary Cap (1983)
- Negotiated the first Anti-Drug Agreement in pro sports (1983)
- Instrumental in the 1976 ABA–NBA Merger
- Inducted into the NYC Basketball Hall of Fame (2002)
- Namesake of the Larry Fleisher Memorial Award
NBA
General Counsel, NBPA (1963–1987)
NBA Achievements
Tenure as General Counsel:
25+ Years (1963–1987)
Major Lawsuits Won:
1 (Oscar Robertson Settlement)
Mergers Negotiated:
1 (ABA-NBA Merger, 1976)
Labor Agreements:
Numerous