This summer marks the two-year anniversary of the NBA’s swift and decisive ban on former Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling, following leaked audiotape of him making casual racial slurs in private. Since his fine, lifetime ban, and sale of the team to Microsoft founder Steve Ballmer, little else has been heard of Sterling—who’s retreated to a private life—or of his estranged wife, Shelly.
Now James Rainey of NBC News has obtained and shared comments from Shelly Sterling indicating that she felt her husband’s punishment was too harsh, and she has asked the league to lift the ban.
She said, via Rainey, “I couldn’t understand the severity of the ban. It just seemed a little bit out of line. I have talked to [the NBA] several times, and I don’t know what they will do. Maybe they will and maybe they won’t [lift the ban]. Maybe it takes a little bit more time.”
League officials have made no indication that they are entertaining the plea. It is not surprising, considering that Donald referred to the the league as “a band of hypocrites and bullies” during the weeks after the scandal broke.
Donald Sterling revealed that he still watches the Clippers on TV, but remains content with his current situation. “I am as happy as I have ever been. I am as comfortable as I have ever been, and I don’t want to do anything to disturb that,” he said.