The NBA formally began its effort to oust Donald Sterling as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, accusing him of harming the league through racist comments that were caught on tape.
According to the league, the NBA “initiated a charge” that alleges Sterling “engaged in conduct that has damaged and continues to damage the NBA and its teams.”
Sterling has until May 27 to respond to the charge. The NBA’s Board of Governors plans to discuss the issue during a June 3 meeting.
If three-quarters of the league’s team owners sustain the charge, Sterling will lose ownership of the team, which will be sold.
Sterling, however, has indicated that he plans to fight to maintain ownership of the team. He has also balked at paying a $2.5 million fine announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. A letter sent to the league by Sterling attorney Maxwell Blecher – and obtained by Sports Illustrated and ESPN – threatened legal action against the NBA and insisted that Sterling did not violate the league’s constitution.
Blecher also contended that the 80-year-old real estate investor was denied due process when Silver banned him from the league for life and ordered him to pay the $2.5 million fine.
Sterling came under fire when recordings of his comments were made public on a pair of websites. On the recordings, Sterling chastised frequent courtside companion V. Stiviano for appearing in photographs with black people – including Lakers Hall of Famer Magic Johnson – and bringing them to Clippers
games.
Sterling subsequently told CNN’s Anderson Cooper in a televised interview that he was not a racist and that he had been “baited” into making the comments. He also told Cooper that Johnson was a poor role model because he was promiscuous, had contracted the virus that causes AIDS and has not, in Sterling’s opinion, done much for black people.
Sterling bought the Clippers in 1981 for $12.5 million, but the team recently was valued by Forbes around $575 million, making it the league’s 13th most valuable.
The NBA alleged in today’s statement that Sterling’s “actions and positions significantly undermine the NBA’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion; damage the NBA’s relationship with its fans; harm NBA owners, players and Clippers team personnel; and impair the NBA’s relationship with marketing and merchandising parnters, as well as with government and community leaders.”
The league also accused Sterling of issuing a “false and misleading press statement about this matter.”
