“Shai Is an Enormous Star. Tyrese Is a Huge Star”- Adam Silver Doesn’t Believe 2025 NBA Finals Lack Star Power

Garima Ranawat

Last updated: June 6, 2025 - 3 min read

Adam Silver addressed the media before 2025 NBA Finals Game 1.

Image Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver opposed the notion that the NBA Finals 2025 lack star power, and said that there are superstars such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Haliburton. Silver addressed the media before the beginning of the finals, where he refuted the idea that the summit series of the season doesn’t have any superstar name. Notably, the Oklahoma City Thunder are locking horns with the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals, which began on Thursday, June 5.

In a very unusual scenario, the NBA Finals lack a superstar participation. However, it seems that Silver is not going to buy that idea. He opined that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the NBA MVP 2025, is a superstar, and so is Tyrese Haliburton. Silver told the media, “I mean, I think Shai is an enormous star, Tyrese (Haliburton) is a star, Pascal (Siakam), I get it, in fairness, they’re not at the level of some other stars that we’ve had in this league, and maybe not as prominent as some players currently still playing in the league.”

He went on to point out that names like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant made a name for themselves by winning the NBA Finals. He said, “I think much less about the size of the market they happen to be playing. So, it’s my expectation that — I mean, first of all, whoever comes out of this championship series will rise to the next level, almost automatically. But then I think over time, those stars are made on the floor, not by the league office.”

Adam Silver Talks About Parity in NBA, Wants All 30 Teams to Have a Chance At Competing for Championship

Adam Silver is in the 12th year of serving as the commissioner of the NBA, and this season will mark a ninth different franchise winning the title on his watch. Moreover, the NBA Finals 2025 will give the seventh different champion in the last seven seasons, something which never happened in the league before.

Addressing the same during his annual press conference before Game 1, he said, “The goal being to have 30 teams all in the position, if well managed, to compete for championships. And that’s what we’re seeing here.” Notably, since Silver took charge at the helm, the Golden State Warriors won four titles, and teams such as the Bucks, Cavaliers, Celtics, Lakers, Nuggets, Raptors and Spurs have won one title each.

"The goal isn't necessarily to have a different Champion every year, it's to have… parity of opportunity."

Commissioner Adam Silver responds to the fact that the NBA will have it's seventh different Champion in seven seasons. pic.twitter.com/hiVOdRC6Ld
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 6, 2025

On the other hand, David Stern’s 30-year tenure as the NBA Commissioner saw eight teams winning the championship. Silver talked about it and said, “David used to joke early on in his tenure as commissioner. He said his job was to go back and forth between Boston and L.A. handing out championship trophies.”

Notably, during Stern’s tenure, the eight teams that won the championship were the Los Angeles Lakers (eight times) Chicago (six), the Spurs (four), the Celtics (three), Heat (three), Pistons (three), Rockets (twice) and Dallas (once).

Adam Silver

NBA Finals 2025

Shai Gilgeous Alexander

Tyrese Haliburton

Garima Ranawat

Garima is a sports writer with around two years of experience in Indian sports and a newfound interest in the NBA. Inspired by the leadership of cricketing legend MS Dhoni, she wishes to bring in newer perspectives to the NBA fanatics with her writing.