On Tuesday April 29th NBA commissioner Adam Silver had a press conference in which he gave the punishment to clippers owner Donald Sterling. Adam Silver issued Sterling a lifetime ban, 2.5 million dollar fine and he will have to sell the team. The players of the team which are in playoff contention had already planned to boycott the games if they didn’t agree with the given punishment.
Last weekend news broke about a phone call between sterling and his girlfriend in which he made racist remarks towards other races. In the phone call he states that he doesn’t want magic johnson at any clippers game as well as any other African American. Magic Johnson as well as many African Americans who have a great impact on the culture began to speak out against Sterling’ comments. Johnson says “He shouldn’t own a team anymore,” (Magic Johnson: Donald Sterling ‘shouldn’t own a team anymore’) Michael Jordan who was outraged by the comments also gave his point of view from two perspectives “As an owner, I’m obviously disgusted that a fellow team owner could hold such sickening and offensive views. I’m confident that Adam Silver will make a full investigation and take appropriate action quickly. As a former player, I’m completely outraged. There is no room in the NBA – or anywhere else – for the kind of racism and hatred that Mr. Sterling allegedly expressed” (Michael Jordan ‘outraged’ over reported Donald Sterling comments). Jordan felt the disrespect of the comments said by sterling as well as many other basketball players.
The next game the clippers played after the incident adam silver asked sterling to not attend the game which was going to be played at the oracle the warriors home court. During warm ups clippers player took off their warm up shirt and flipped it inside out as a protest. This was also done by the miami heat as they showed their support for the clippers players. The clippers message was seen across the NBA.
“A rapidly growing number of companies are suspending or ending their sponsorships of the Los Angeles Clippers amid widespread fallout over owner Donald Sterling’s alleged racist remarks, which they labeled “completely unacceptable” and “offensive””(Sponsors Cut Ties to Clippers Following Owner’s Alleged Racist Remarks) Many of the sponsors which the clippers had have now left them and some have postponed the business they had with them.
