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NBA looking into alleged racist comments by Sterling
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Audio of what is believed to be Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making racist comments to his girlfriend is being investigated by the NBA.
The man was recorded questioning his girlfriend, V. Stiviano, about her association with black men.
According to TMZ, Stiviano, who is black and Mexican, posted a photo of her with Magic Johnson on Instagram, but the picture has been removed.
In the recording, the man believed to be Sterling says: “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with black people. Do you have to? You can sleep with (black people). You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.”
The NBA released a statement in response to the TMZ report.
“We are in the process of conducting a full investigation into the audio recording obtained by TMZ,” spokesman Mike Bass said. “The remarks heard on the recording are disturbing and offensive, but at this time we have no further information.”
Johnson also responded to the report in a series of tweets Saturday.
“TMZ reported this morning that Clippers owner Donald Sterling doesn’t want me or other African-Americans to come to Clippers games,” Johnson wrote. “… Cookie and I will never go to a Clippers game again as long as Donald Sterling is the owner. … LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s comments about African Americans are a black eye for the NBA.”
The Los Angeles Daily News reported that Clippers players held a team meeting but have not yet publicly commented.
One player on a Western Conference playoff team told ESPN that his teammates were upset when they first heard about the story.
“We’re waiting to see what is said (by the NBA) or how it’s handled,” the player said. “If roles were reversed, you know people wouldn’t let it ride.”
Former Clippers guard Baron Davis wrote about Sterling on Twitter: “That’s the way it is…He is honest about what he believes in..Been going on for a long time, Hats off 2 the Team.. 4 playin above it all,” he wrote.
CBS reported in March that Sterling’s wife, Rochelle, filed a lawsuit against Stiviano, alleging she was having a sexual relationship with her husband.
The suit claimed that Sterling and Stiviano began their relationship after meeting at the Super Bowl in 2010. She requested a return of all cash, land, cars and other items that, under California law, are considered community property of the Sterlings.
