Donald Sterling’s appeal to block the sale of his basketball franchise, the Los Angeles Clippers, has been rejected by a Californian judge in a tentative ruling on Monday. The sale that was previously orchestrated by his wife Shelly Sterling will go on as previously planned, with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer gaining control of the Clippers for a paltry sum of $2 billion.
The controversy surrounding Sterling peaked in April when an audio clip was uncovered that had Sterling reprimanding his girlfriend for bringing black men to basketball games.
This is simply the latest in a long line of incidents that all point to Sterling being one thing: a racist. Former superstar and general manager of the Clippers Elgin Baylor charged Sterling with a wrongful termination lawsuit in 2009 that was dismissed by jury. Decades before, Sterling landed himself in hot water by discriminating against black tenants in the buildings he owned. Further incidents include heckling of his own players from the sidelines, as well as scattered inappropriate comments about women. The NBA, until now, has done nothing. This uncovered audiotape was the last straw.
Adam Silver, the newly minted commissioner of the NBA, made one of the defining moves of his young career by banning Sterling from the NBA and slapping him with a $2.5 million fine. Sterling fought the ban and sale of the team, but now stands defeated.
For an African-American dominated sport, having a rich white owner lording over you with a “plantation mentality” is akin to a prison without bars. Silver didn’t base his decision on NBA sales revenue; he based it on the grounds of human decency.
Photo courtesy of The Big Lead.
