Adam Silver (left) issued a lifetime ban and a $2.5 million fine to Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Getty Images/2)

Three years ago today, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver banned Donald Sterling “for life” after an audio clip surfaced on TMZ featuring the Los Angeles Clippers owner making extremely racist comments to his then girlfriend,  V. Stiviano.

In the recording, the embattled team owner urged Stiviano to disassociate herself with Black people, not bring her Black friends to Clippers games and to refrain from posting photos of her and “minorities” such as Magic Johnson to her Instagram account.

In the recording, Sterling was specifically heard saying: “It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with Black people. Do you have to?”

The announcement of Sterling’s punishment was made in Manhattan at the New York Hilton Midtown. “We stand together in condemning Mr. Sterling’s views,” NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver said. “They simply have no place in the NBA.”

As part of Sterling’s ban, he may not attend any game or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.

“This league is far bigger than any one owner, any one coach and any one player,” said Silver.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson chatted with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver about former Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Photo Credit: Emmanuel Grant Brooklyn Eggs

Silver also fined Sterling $2.5 million, which is the maximum amount allowed under the NBA’s constitution. The fine was donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that were jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association. “The lifetime banning of Donald Sterling is a bold and appropriate action in this matter,” National Action Network founder Reverend Al Sharpton told me after the NBA’s Announcement.

Check out Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson’s assessment of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver 

“This is a huge victory for those of us that stood against this ugly display of racism. We must continue to make unequivocal stands against bigotry and racism. I look forward to speaking to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and beginning the dialogue with other civil rights leaders right away to discuss putting in measures to make sure this never happens again.”

Silver set the tone early in his tenure as commissioner and he’s stayed visible and consistent. Silver a recipient of Sports Business Journal’s 2015 Executive of the Year, beat the clock to rid Sterling and facilitated a $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers all the while warding off legal threats from Sterling.

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NBC Sports reports that proposed legislature in Texas may cost the state an NBA All-Star Game, according to Adam Silver.

After North Carolina passed its controversial HB2 law, commonly known as the “bathroom law” due to the section that excluded transgender individuals from accessing the restrooms that matched their correct gender, it cost the state as the location for the NBA All-Star game. Silver had said at the time that, “we’re not bringing our All-Star Game to your city if that discriminatory law is on the books”. The NBA was not the only business to pull their support from the state in the wake of the law, many businesses and musical guests refusing to cooperate with it as well.

Texas is currently considering similar legislature to the one that was passed in North Carolina, causing some comment on how that will affect the chances of Houston, a frontrunner for the 2020 or 2021 All-Star Game, being able to host if the law passes. Here’s what Silver had to say on the subject:

You know, I’m not ready to draw bright lines. Clearly, though, the laws of the state, ordinances, and cities are a factor we look at in deciding where to play our All-Star Games. I think the issue is we’d have to look at the specific legislation and understand its impact. I mean, I’m not ready to stand here today and say that that is the bright line test for whether or not we will play All-Star Games in Texas. It’s something we’re, of course, going to monitor very closely. What we’ve stated is that our values, our league-wide values in terms of equality and inclusion are paramount to this league and all the members of the NBA family, and I think those jurisdictions that are considering legislation similar to HB2 are on notice that that is an important factor for us. Those values are an important factor for us in deciding where we take a special event like an All-Star Game.

If Texas does pass this new law, the state will have to face the consequences just as North Carolina did. Whether they do or don’t pass the law, it remains to be seen if Texas will be able to host the All-Star Game any time in the near future.

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