Larry O'Brien

Larry O'Brien
3rd Commissioner of the NBA
In office
June 1, 1975 – January 31, 1984
Preceded byJ. Walter Kennedy
Succeeded byDavid Stern
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office
March 5, 1970 – July 14, 1972
Preceded byFred R. Harris
Succeeded byJean Westwood
In office
August 30, 1968 – January 14, 1969
Preceded byJohn Moran Bailey
Succeeded byFred R. Harris
57th United States Postmaster General
In office
November 3, 1965 – April 10, 1968
PresidentLyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byJohn A. Gronouski
Succeeded byW. Marvin Watson
White House Director of Legislative Affairs
In office
January 20, 1961 – November 3, 1965
PresidentJohn F. Kennedy
Lyndon B. Johnson
Preceded byBryce Harlow
Succeeded byBarefoot Sanders (1967)
Personal details
Born
Lawrence Francis O'Brien Jr.

(1917-07-07)July 7, 1917
Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
DiedSeptember 28, 1990(1990-09-28) (aged 73)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Elva Brassard
(m. 1945)
Children1
EducationNortheastern University (LLB)

Lawrence Francis O'Brien Jr. (July 7, 1917 – September 28, 1990) was an American politician and basketball commissioner. He was one of the United States Democratic Party's leading electoral strategists for more than two decades. He was Postmaster General in the cabinet of President Lyndon Johnson and chair of the Democratic National Committee. O'Brien was also commissioner of the National Basketball Association from 1975 to 1984, and the NBA Championship Trophy is named after him.

O'Brien, son of Irish immigrants, was born in Springfield, Massachusetts. When he was not working in politics, O'Brien managed his family's real estate and worked in public relations.