Donald Sterling sanctioned: Adam Silver moves to eject Clippers owner

1/34

A protester flashes a victory sign outside of Staples Center before the start of Game 5. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

2/34

Clipper players stand for the national anthem before Game 5 against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

3/34

Clippers center DeAndre Jordan collects himself shortly before the start of the game. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

4/34

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers, left, greets Rev. Jesse Jackson before Game 5 of the Western Conference playoffs. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

5/34

LAPD mounted patrol stand guard before Game 5 at Staples Center. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

6/34

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers congratulates his players after defeating the Warriors. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

7/34

The seats of Clippers owner Donald Sterling sit empty before Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

8/34

Longtime Clippers fan Abe Dilanian holds a sign in protest of Clippers owner Donald Sterling as he enters Staples Center before the start of Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals against the Golden State Warriors. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

9/34

Bereft of advertising, the Staples Center scoreboard promotes only Clippers pride and unity during Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals against the Golden State Warriors. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

10/34

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, right, speaks with Clippers players Jamal Crawford, left, and Chris Paul before Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

11/34

Fans hold signs before Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs in Los Angeles on Tuesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

12/34

Fans gather outside Staples Center before the start of Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals between the Clippers and the Golden State Warriors. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

13/34

A coalition of activists and civil rights leaders attends a “Los Angeles Is Better Than Donald Sterling Anti-Racism Protest and Rally” outside Staples Center before the start of Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

14/34

Protesters hold a sign outside Staples Center before Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

15/34

Protester Clyde Davis holds up a sign outside Staples Center before the start of Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

16/34

Los Angeles Police Department officers carrying riot gear take positions outside Staples Center in anticipation of protesters before the start of Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

17/34

A worker applies a new logo to the basketball stanchion before Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

18/34

A man takes a photo of covered-up advertisements before Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals between the Clippers and Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

19/34

A Golden State Warriors fan makes a statement during Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference quarterfinals in Oakland on Sunday. The Warriors beat the Clippers, 118-97. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

20/34

Clippers owner Donald Sterling, third from left, sits courtside next to V. Stiviano, fourth from left, during a game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center earlier this season. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

21/34

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver holds a news conference in New York to discuss Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s purported comments about blacks. Silver announced that Sterling will be banned from the NBA for life and will be fined $2.5 million. (Emmanuel Dunand / AFP/Getty Images)

22/34

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is flanked by former and current professional basketball players at a news conference Tuesday at City Hall. Garcetti praised NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for “bringing down the hammer” on Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

23/34

Former Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks during a news conference Tuesday at L.A. City Hall about the NBA’s discipline of Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Abdul-Jabbar said he was “just really thrilled” with Commissioner Adam Silver’s punishment of Sterling. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

24/34

Lakers point guard Steve Nash speaks during a news conference Tuesday at L.A. City Hall about the NBA’s punishment of Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Nash praised NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for a “quick, unequivocal and decisive” move in banning Sterling. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

25/34

Roger Mason Jr., first vice president of the National Basketball Players Assn., speaks with reporters following a news conference. Mason called for an immediate vote of NBA team owners to force Donald Sterling to sell the Clippers. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

26/34

At a packed news conference outside Los Angeles City Hall, politicians and former and current professional basketball players spoke about the lifetime ban imposed by the NBA on Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

27/34

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson joins a news conference Tuesday at L.A. City Hall. Johnson, a former NBA All-Star, is an advisor to the National Basketball Players Assn. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

28/34

Leon Jenkins, center, president of the Los Angeles branch of the NAACP, addresses the media Monday regarding the group’s decision not to present Clippers owner Donald Sterling with a lifetime achievement award. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

29/34

Leon Jenkins, center, president of the Los Angeles branch of the NAACP, hugs Mary Louise Batiste, a NAACP executive committee member, after addressing the media Monday in Culver City regarding the decision to not present Donald Sterling with a lifetime achievement award. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

30/34

A building across the street from Staples Center bears an ad for Kia Motors America on Monday. Kia and other sponsors broke ties with the Clippers in reaction to comments attributed to team owner Donald Sterling. On Tuesday, after banning Sterling for life and fining him $2.5 million, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver urged sponsors to return. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

31/34

Los Angeles resident DeWayne Williams, 48, chants, “Freedom and justice for all -- no racism -- we don’t need it” as he marches in front of Clippers headquarters in Playa Vista. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

32/34

Clippers players stand on court during the national anthem before Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs in Oakland on Sunday. The team wore its warm-up jerseys inside out in protest of owner Donald Sterling. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

33/34

Clippers player Matt Barnes wears black socks before Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs in Oakland on Sunday. The team wore the socks in a show of unity. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

34/34

Rochelle Sterling, second from left, wife of Clippers owner Donald, watches Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference playoffs in Oakland on Sunday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

By Ben Bolch

Staff Writer

April 29, 2014 12:31 PM PT

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued sweeping sanctions against Donald Sterling on Tuesday in response to controversial remarks about blacks purportedly made by Sterling. Silver said the Clippers owner was fined $2.5 million and was banned from any association with the team for life. Silver added that he would urge other owners to force a sale of the team.

Silver said the lifetime ban would stand regardless of whether Sterling was ultimately forced to sell the team he’s owned for 33 years. The commissioner said the NBA constitution allowed owners to eject Sterling if three-quarters of the owners voted in favor of such a move, and that he would commence the process of expulsion immediately.

“I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners to remove him,” said Silver, who appeared visibly agitated throughout his remarks.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tweeted his support, saying he agreed “100%” with Silver’s findings and the actions taken against Sterling.

Under the terms of Silver’s punishment, the 80-year-old Sterling cannot attend any NBA games or practices and is not allowed to inhabit any Clippers facility or participate in any business or player personnel decision involving the team. Sterling is also barred from the NBA’s Board of Governors meetings and other league activities, Silver said.

The commissioner said the $2.5-million fine was the maximum allowed under the league constitution and would be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts. The NBA and the National Basketball Players Assn. will jointly select those organizations.

Silver said Sterling acknowledged that it was his voice on two recently released recordings in which he told a female friend he disapproved of her bringing black friends to Clippers games.

“The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful,” Silver said. “That they came from an NBA owner only heightens the damage and my personal outrage.”

Asked if he expected Sterling to fight his decision, Silver said, “I have no idea.”

Silver said it did not matter that Sterling’s comments were recorded without his knowledge in a private setting. “Whether or not these remarks were shared in private,” Silver said, “they are now public and they represent his views.”

Donald Sterling sanctioned: Adam Silver moves to eject Clippers owner

More to Read

More From the Los Angeles Times

Most Read in Sports