Clippers, Controversy, and Callous Remarks

During the NBA playoff season, the Los Angeles Clippers seem to be losing focus, especially after their loss to the Golden State Warriors on Sunday. The reason? Well, we’re sure you’ve heard of Donald Sterling by now, the owner of the LA team.

Sterling was launched into the spotlight on April 25th when an alleged recording of himself and a woman was leaked to the public. In that recording, Sterling berates V. Stiviano, his girlfriend for posing for an Instagram picture with legend Magic Johnson saying, “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people.” Sterling goes on to say that his mixed-race girlfriend “should not bring blacks to Clippers games.”

Clippers president, Andy Roesen, is attempting to validate that the male voice on that recording is indeed Sterling. The rest of the NBA, however, is enraged by Sterling’s comments. “You have to suspend and fine him immediately,” commented former NBA star Charles Barkley. LeBron James of the Miami Heat added, “There is no room for Donald Sterling in our league.”

The sports and Hollywood communities are up in arms due to Sterling’s comments, which lost him a lifetime achievement award from the NAACP.

This isn’t the first time he’s been pegged in controversy, however. In August 2006, the Department of Justice sued Sterling for discrimination for disallowing non-Koreans from renting in a Koreatown neighborhood and African Americans in Beverly Hills. Allegedly, he also did not rent to Latinos because of the “smoke, drink, and just hang around the building” and that “Black tenants smell and attract vermin.” Sterling was found liable for over $7 million to plaintiffs and their attorneys.

We’ll follow the story to see if a discrimination lawsuit follows from any NBA members.

Source: LA Times & NY Daily News