Interesting topic we are touching on today. I have been meaning write a post about this issues, but I really wanted to see how all of this was handled by the NBA; today I got to hear Adam Silver unfold what was going to happen, so now I feel like I can write this post.
Let me first recap what happened leading up to today. Donald Sterling, the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team was heard saying that he did not want black people in his arena. This was not heard by some random visitor in the arena, this was a recorded phone conversation that Sterling had with his girlfriend. As this leaked, TMZ was kind enough to play it for us, and the rest is history. The story blew up on social media, and the Clippers suddenly faced an issue that could not have come at a worse time. Now tied up with the Golden State Warriors in their playoff series (2-2), the Clippers are playing their first home game since this incident. Doc Rivers, the Clippers head coach said, ” Usually home court is your safe haven, I don’t even know if that’s the case anymore.” Rivers is no scrub when it comes to coaching. He has done it for 21 years, and is considered a top five coach in the NBA currently. Doc Rivers seemed to understand how this issue could have a psychological effect on the team. Before game 3 at Golden State, the Clippers did a silent protest. They wore their practice jersey inside out, so the Clippers logo did not show. The team seemed a little bit down, and the drive to win a championship did not seem to be there. The funniest part about this is the fact that the Clippers have a mostly black team, even the head coach is black. After Sterling made those comments about black people, I almost got this feeling that he owned the clippers to own everyone under him, and the team of mostly black players. I am a minority and half black, and this is very disrespectful to me and my people.
So the question is, what exactly happened to Donald Sterling. Well before I tell you that, I want to tell you about a relationship between two people. Magic Johnson and Donald Sterling. Magic Johnson is regarded as one of the greatest players to play. He is now long retied, but he stated that Sterling was one of the first people he met after getting drafted to the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson was also a part of all this drama because of an instagram post. Donald Sterling also told his girlfriend to take down a picture of him and Magic Johnson (for racist reasons). Johnson voiced his opinions very cleary, tweeting things out, and going on TV and telling the public that Sterling should be banned. I do not know how much of an effect this had on Adam Silver’s (NBA commissioner) final decision. Other players voiced their opinions on social media as well.
As you can see, the league is very close nit, and everyone seems to be a family. Now, I can finally tell you what happened.
Adam Silver banned David Sterling for life, he also fined Sterling 2.5 million, which is the maximum you can fine someone under the NBA constitution. This is Silver’s first test as the NBA commissioner, as he was appointed early this year. Many agree that he has made the right decision to ban Sterling. Here is a letter that the NBA commissioner wrote about today’s press conference. This should give you a better idea of what the punishments for David Sterling are.
“Dear Fans,
This afternoon I announced that, following the completion of a thorough investigation into an audio recording obtained by TMZ, I banned Donald Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers or the NBA, effective immediately. Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. I also fined Mr. Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA Constitution. These funds will be donated to charitable organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and its Players Association.
The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and hurtful. I am extremely proud of this great league’s diverse, respectful and inclusive culture, and we will not allow one individual’s intolerant views to define us. Let me be clear: Mr. Sterling’s views have no place in the NBA.
This has been a painful episode for all members of the NBA family. I very much appreciate your understanding during this process. I also want to express my thanks and admiration to Coach Doc Rivers, Chris Paul, and the entire Clippers organization for their professionalism throughout this matter, and to Chris and Mayor Kevin Johnson for their leadership and partnership on behalf of the Players Association.
And now I am eager to turn the spotlight back where it belongs: on the game we all love and on these thrilling playoffs, which have been some of the most exciting basketball I’ve seen in my 22 years with the league. I hope you enjoy the rest of the playoffs and The Finals.
Sincerely,
“
Adam Silverman had some investigators investigate the phone audio to make sure it was real before addressing the press on the situation of David Sterling. David Sterling has actually had trouble with racism before, he had actually just settled a lawsuit earlier. I think all of this helped the commissioner understand the David Sterling, and make a decision on what to do with him in the league.
I am very pleased to see Sterling go, I cannot believe that people like this still exist. I will not touch on that topic in this post, but I would like to finish off the post with a food for thought.
If David Sterling is racist, why is his girlfriend Half Black and Half Mexican?
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-All images from Google -NBA Commissioner letter via http://www.NBA.com
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