Donald Sterling, who has owned the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (www.nba.com) since 1981, has been in the middle of a firestorm over an alleged racist rant.
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Tabloid media outlet TMZ (www.tmz.com) released an audio tape of Sterling making remarks to his girlfriend, V. Stiviano on Saturday afternoon.
Apparently, Sterling was upset with Stiviano's posting pictures of her and NBA legend Earvin ((Magic) Johnson on Instagram.
"It bothers me that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people," Sterling allegedly said. "Do you have to?"
Stiviano, who is black and hispanic, said she simply took a photo of someone that she has long admired. "And I'm just saying that it's too bad you can't admire him privately.
"And during your ENTIRE F---ING LIFE, your whole life, you can admire him -- bring him here, feed him, f--- him. You can do anything. I don't care. But don't put him on an Instagram for all the world to see so they have to call me. And don't bring him to my games, okay?"
Sterling, in a statement from the Clippers organization, insisted that he was not racist and apologized to anyone that may have been hurt by what he had said.
Sterling alleged that Stiviano had tried to embezzle two million dollars and the tape was some form of retaliation.
The league and Commissioner Adam Silver have launched an investigation into the allegations and the comments by Sterling.
Johnson said he felt sorry for his friends on the Clippers head coach Doc Rivers and guard Chris Paul, saying Sterling's comments "were shameful."
Shaquille O'Neal called the remarks "repugnant," Charles Barkley called him "an idiot' and there were calls for action to be taken ranging from suspension to taking his franchise away from him.
Miami Heat star LeBron James and MSNBC talk show host Reverend Al Sharpton also weighed in.
