Adam Silver (born April 25, 1962) is an American lawyer and the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has held this post since February 1, 2014.

Before joining the NBA, he served as a litigation associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, a law firm in New York, and worked as a law clerk to Judge Kimba Wood, a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Early life and education

Silver was born into a Jewish family north of New York City in the suburb of Rye in Westchester County. From an early age, Silver was a New York Knicks fan.

He graduated from Rye High School, and then from Duke University in 1984. He worked as a legislative aide for U.S. Congressman Les AuCoin from 1984 to 1985. He earned a law degree from the University of Chicago in 1988.

Before joining the NBA, he served as a litigation associate at Cravath, Swaine & Moore, a law firm in New York. Silver also worked as a law clerk to Judge Kimba Wood, a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.