James Bowman offered a little bit more on Stern's legacy in women's basketball earlier today in a fan post shortly after the announcement that there will be change of power in the NBA in February 2014.
Stern is just as pivotal a figure in women's basketball history as he is in men's history. He was commissioner when the NBA Board of Governors approved the WNBA concept. His help and support made the WNBA the most successful pro women's league in America - not only did he help it become well known, but he promoted television coverage for the WNBA as well. He probably belongs in the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville as well as the Naismith Hall of Fame.
In an interview with Darren Sands of the Loop 21 earlier this year, WNBA president Laurel Richie was also complimentary of both Stern and successor Adam Silver by saying, "I’m 100 percent convinced we wouldn’t be where we are today without the two of them."