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Sterling on new tape: ‘I’m not a racist!’
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
A new audio tape of embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling claiming that he is not a racist was posted by Radar Online on Friday.
Sterling’s comments stem from his recent ban and $2.5 million fine from the NBA for making racist comments.
In the audio recording, presumed to be from a phone conversation with an unidentified listener, Sterling yells, “You know I’m not a racist!”
“You think I’m a racist?” he continues. “You think I have anything in the world but love for everybody? You don’t think that! You know I’m not a racist!”
Sterling defended himself by citing his experience as president of a diverse high school in east Los Angeles. He also says: “How can you be in this business and be a racist? Do you think I tell the coach to get white players, or to get the best player he can get?”
Sterling said critical comments made by Magic Johnson hurt his feelings.
“It breaks my heart that Magic Johnson, a guy that I respect so much, wouldn’t stand up and say, ‘Well, let’s get the facts. Let’s get him and talk to him,’ ” Sterling said. “Nobody tried. Nobody!”
It is not clear when the most recent recording was made.
In the original recording posted by TMZ, Sterling told his girlfriend V. Stiviano to remove an online photo of her with Johnson because he did not want her “associating with black people.”
Johnson responded by saying Sterling should lose his team.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver urged the NBA’s owners to force Sterling to sell the Clippers. The NBA is assuming operations of the team for the time being.
