SHELLY STERLING SUPPORTS NBA BANNING HER EX-HUSBAND FOR LIFE AND THE TEAM FINDING A NEW CEO

SHELLY & DONALD STERLING

The estranged wife of banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling says she supports the decision by the National Basketball Association and the team to work together to find the franchise a new chief executive officer.

Shelly Sterling, a co-owner of the Clippers, said she spoke with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to tell him she supported his decision to fine her husband $2.5 million and ban him for life after racist remarks by Donald Sterling became public.

 

"We also agreed at that time that, as a next step, both the league and the team should work together to find some fresh, accomplished executive leadership for the Clippers," Shelly Sterling said in a written statement Saturday.

 

Her statement didn't mention the potential sale of the team, which Silver has said he will press the other 29 ownership groups to mandate through a vote.

 

The league said in a news release that now that Donald Sterling is banned from team operations, it is best that the league step in temporarily.

 

"The best way to ensure the stability of the team during this difficult situation is to move quickly and install a CEO to oversee the Clippers organization," NBA Executive Vice President Mike Bass said in a statement. "The process of identifying that individual is under way."

 

While the team has been distracted off the court, it has continued winning on it. The Clippers defeated the Golden State Warriors 126-121 Saturday to win its first-round series in the NBA playoffs.

 

The Clippers will face the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday in the Western Conference semifinals.

 

Donald Sterling's fall...

 

Other NBA owners, players and sports commentators called for swift, firm punishment after TMZ posted the audio featuring the racist comments purportedly made on April 9.
 

 Silver heeded their call, issuing sweeping sanctions against Donald Sterling on Tuesday.

 

Under the lifetime ban, Sterling is prohibited from NBA games or practices, stepping foot inside any Clippers facility, taking part in business or personnel decisions or having a role in league activities such as attending NBA Board of Governors meetings.

 

If Sterling does sell the team, he'd profit considerably. He bought the Clippers for $12 million in 1981, and the team is now worth $575 million, according to Forbes magazine.