NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reflects on the remarkable journey of the Tech Summit as it celebrates its 25th anniversary. Initially established during the All-Star weekend in the Bay Area back in 2000, this event has blossomed into an essential part of the NBA’s annual festivities, particularly over the last quarter-century.
The first Tech Summit posed the fundamental question, “What’s next?” Yet, nobody had all the answers at that time. Silver, who was the president of NBA Entertainment during the summit’s inception, highlighted the unprecedented advancements in media and technology that have transformed our world since then. “We began the Tech Summit at a time when internet skeptics were prominent, but look at how impactful the world wide web has become across all industries, including sports,” he remarked.
Among the notable figures from the initial summit was Mark Cuban, who was on the brink of acquiring the Dallas Mavericks. Many team owners have participated in the summit over the years, with Golden State’s co-chairman and CEO, Joe Lacob, joining the panel at this year’s event. Cuban expressed admiration for the NBA’s foresight, noting, “I predicted streaming would take precedence, and here we are.”
This year’s Tech Summit featured prominent voices from major streaming platforms, including Netflix, Apple, Amazon, and YouTube, alongside representatives from ESPN and NBC Sports. To nurture an environment of open dialogue, all attendees agreed that discussions at the summit would remain off the record.
Other distinguished panelists included Andre Iguodala, executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, All-Star athletes Victor Wembanyama and Jalen Brunson, WNBA Champion Sabrina Ionescu, and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who formerly chaired the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Although it was initially perceived that the first Tech Summit would be a one-time event, it turned out to be a successful venture. Set in a tech-centric environment, the summit quickly established its value and has since become a highly sought-after ticket, attracting billionaires, media tycoons, and team owners. Silver expressed his enjoyment of past summits, particularly the one-on-one interviews featuring legends like Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. This year, the engaging discussion was led by broadcaster Bob Costas and featured Golden State’s head coach, Steve Kerr.
Silver emphasized that the summit was a unique creation tailored for its time in Silicon Valley. “While we’ve expanded the event significantly, we’ve managed to keep it intimate, promoting engaging and meaningful conversations,” he explained.
When pondering about the summit topics in 2025, Silver acknowledges the unpredictability of the future. When asked to speculate about the Tech Summit in 2050, he confidently stated, “Other than basketball, I truly have no clue,” and highlighted that the current event features discussions on AI and robotics—areas that were unimaginable two decades ago.
