The NBA made a decision on Wednesday to ban LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling from the league and associated activities for life after his racist comments were made public last week, as commissioner Adam Silver announced that Sterling will also be fined $2.5 Million and will be forced to sell his team eventually by the other owners and denounced the comments, taking swift and decisive action to ensure that Clippers players and others in the league did not boycott games on the schedule.
ESPN.com reported that the Players Association spoke with player representatives on the teams in the playofs, including the Clippers and Golden State Warriors, the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards, and the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder, and they said they would agree to boycott if they were not happy with the commissioners decision. The players stood united and they were outraged at the comments, which had Sterling sounding like he was back in the old days when slavery was still around in the United States and that is one reason why the NBA took such harsh action.
Sterling is a snake and in the past he has shown that going to court is something that he will do without abandon, so that could be in the future for the league. According to ESPN.com, Kevin Johnson, who is representing the players in this matter, said that they are expecting the owners to vote 29-0 in favor of Sterling being out of the league and forced to sell his team. They have the power to do that, not Silver, as Silver showed the power he has right now and he took action.
Sterling said that he was the man on the tape to Silver and now he is banned from any team activities like practices or games and he cannot be present at the facility either. Sterling is no longer allowed to work in Clippers business and while it is an extreme punishment, it is a just one, as comments like he made show ignorance and hate for people when that is simply not how one should ever think. Sterling disrespected many people and now he will have to pay the price. Sadly, he will get to make money off selling his team.
"I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners I need to remove him," Silver said.
