Mike Storen (L), former American Basketball Association (ABA) commissioner poses with his daughter Hannah Storm at the Atlanta Braves' new ballpark in Atlanta, Georgia, March 2017. /AP
Mike Storen, former American Basketball Association (ABA) commissioner and executive of several NBA teams, died on Thursday at the age of 84.
According to Storen's daughter Hannah Storm who's an ESPN SportsCenter anchor, her father died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta of complications from cancer. "It is with a heavy heart and much sadness that I share that Mike Storen, loving father, grandfather, husband, proud member of the Fighting Irish family, and renowned sports executive, passed away today due to his battle with a rare form of cancer," wrote Storm on Twitter.
In 1967, Storen became the first general manager of the Indiana Pacers. The team also paid their tribute to in a statement: "It is impossible to overstate the formative impact Storen had on our franchise and the American Basketball Association, for which he would later serve as commissioner."
Julius Erving #32 of the New York Nets dunks in an NBA game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, 1974. /VCG
Storen in 1973 became ABA commissioner and he also worked as the GM of the Atlanta Hawks. He played an important role in bringing several future Hall of Famers to the league, including Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, Louis Dampier, Artis Gilmore and Dan Issel.
More importantly, Storen helped push the merger of the ABA with the NBA. That event led some of the greatest names in history to the NBA, such as Moses Malone, Julius Erving, David Thompson and George Gervin.
"For me and so many other guys that might not have had a chance to continue playing, his influence on the ABA just gave countless kids and coaches to do something they love," said Hall of Fame head coach Larry Brown of Storen. "And at the end of the day, when you consider the contributions some of those kids and coaches made in the NBA after the ABA was finished, it's just remarkable. He just cared about the game and cared about the players in the league."