Donald Sterling’s estranged wife is distancing herself from the Los Angeles Clippers owner after an audio recording released over the weekend purportedly depicted him making racist comments.
“Our family is devastated by the racist comments made by my estranged husband. My children and I do not share these despicable views or prejudices,” Shelly Sterling told TMZ on Sunday evening. “We will not let one man’s small-mindedness poison the spirit of the fans and accomplishments of the team in the city we love. We are doing everything in our power to stand by and support our Clippers team.”
Shelly Sterling’s comments follow the publication last weekend by TMZ of audio that reportedly depicts the Clippers owner telling his girlfriend V. Stiviano “not to bring [black people] into my games” and criticizing her for taking an Instagram photo with famed player Magic Johnson.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said the league is investigating the audio recording. Sterling has already been admonished by Johnson, top NBA players like LeBron James, and by President Barack Obama himself.
[TMZ]
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Write to Eliana Dockterman at eliana.dockterman@time.com