Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is desperately hoping to cling onto the team.
In his letter to the NBA, Sterling points to fines and pentalties against other players and owners. Sterling doesn’t specifically name the players, but he doesn’t really need to.
Here’s one spot from page 20:
“A player was fined $100,000 but not suspended for referring to a referree as a “fu—– fa—-” on television.”
That refers to Kobe Bryant.
One of Sterling’s biggest issues is with Shaquille O’Neal, part owner of the Sacramento Kings. Sterling discusses O’Neal in his filing saying:
“Referring to Yao Ming,… (on a television show): “Tell Yao Ming, ching chong yang wah ah soh.” And although the statement offended many in the Chinese community, the NBA neither fined nor suspended the player. Last month (Shaq) was accused of publicly mocking (on Instagram) a picture of a man with ectodermal dysplasia, a rare genetic disorder affecting one’s appearance. Despite being a minority owner of the Sacramento Kings, the NBA has yet to take any action against this individual.”
O’Neal personally apoligized to the man he mocked.
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has agreed to buy the Clippers for $2 billion. Donald Sterling has been deemed mentally incapacitated, leaving his ex-wife part owner Shelly Sterling as the sole trustee with power to sell the team.
And as for Donald Sterling’s apology…