Larry O’Brien Hall of Fame NBA

Larry O’Brien was a master strategist and political heavyweight who leveraged his formidable negotiating skills to save and modernize the NBA. Before entering the sports world, he served in the cabinets of Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, experiences that prepared him for the high-stakes challenges of professional basketball.

Appointed as the league’s third commissioner in 1975, O’Brien immediately orchestrated the historic merger with the American Basketball Association (ABA), bringing four new franchises and legendary talents into the fold. He was instrumental in securing the league's financial future by negotiating lucrative television contracts and introducing the salary cap to ensure competitive balance.

In 1984, the NBA honored his transformative leadership by renaming the championship trophy after him. For his monumental role in elevating the league to a global stage, O’Brien was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991.

O’Brien's Awards and Honors

• The Sporting News Sportsman of the Year (1976)
• Namesake of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy (Renamed 1984)
• Negotiated the landmark 1976 ABA–NBA Merger
• Created the NBA College Scholarship Program (1980)
• Implemented the first NBA Salary Cap (1983)
• Established the league's first stringent anti-drug agreement (1983)

NBA

NBA Commissioner (1975–1984)