Before Game 3 of Miami’s series against the Charlotte Bobcats, Heat forward LeBron James spoke out about Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s alleged racist comments.
“There’s no room for Donald Sterling in the NBA — there is no room for him,” James said before Saturday night’s game, per the Miami Herald.
The Miami star spoke strongly on the situation that he called “appalling,” adding that he would have to really think hard about suiting up for the rest of the season if he played for the Clippers.
“I have kind of wavered back and forth if I would actually sit out. ” James said. “If our owner would come out and say the things he said, I would have to sit down with my teammates and talk to my family because at the end of the day, our family and teammates are way more important than that. Basketball is huge, and the playoffs have been unbelievable so far, and I hate that something has to come out.”
LeBron also said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver must act quickly and “make a stand” if the comments are found to be made by Sterling.
“Obviously, if the reports are true, it’s unacceptable in our league,” James said. “It doesn’t matter, white, black or Hispanic — all across the races it’s unacceptable. As the commissioner of our league, they have to make a stand. They have to be very aggressive with it. I don’t know what it will be, but we can’t have that in our league.
“I can only imagine if a player came out and said something of that stature what would happen to us as players. So, I believe in Adam (Silver), I believe in the NBA, and they have to do something and do something very fast and quickly before this really gets out of hand. Like I said, there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league, man. There it is.”
The NBA is investigating whether the racially-charged comments heard in the recording obtained by TMZ were made by Sterling.
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