The Los Angeles Clippers are having some playoff success, but if owner Donald Sterling had his way, they’d be playing in front of a crowd with a notable disparity.
Sterling reportedly told his girlfriend, V. Stiviano, that he doesn’t want her posting pictures of minorities or bringing African-Americans to his games — that includes NBA legend Magic Johnson, according to TMZ. The outlet obtained audio of Sterling’s rant during an April 9 phone call, where he made the declarations during a heated argument after Stiviano posted a photo on her Instagram account of herself with Johnson.
“Don’t put him (Johnson) on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me,” Sterling said in the audio recording. “And don’t bring him to my games.”
During the tirade, Sterling hammers Stiviano for “taking pictures with minorities,” even when Stiviano herself is African American and Mexican.
“Yeah, it bothers me a lot that you want to promo … broadcast that you’re associating with black people,” Sterling said. “You can sleep with them. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.”
Sterling claimed not to hate minorities but explained he doesn’t want Stiviano to publicize any sort of relationship with them.
Sterling has had a checkered past in the race relations department. He has been sued twice by the federal government for allegedly refusing to rent apartments to blacks and Latinos, according to TMZ. He also was sued by former Clippers executive Elgin Baylor for alleged racial discrimination.
Listen to audio of the conversation below.
Photo via Twitter/@hawktchr
