How The NBA Ousted Donald Sterling From The Sport
As reported by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne, the leaked Donald Sterling recording soon caught the attention of the NBA's best and most prominent players. The day after TMZ published its expose, LeBron James reportedly told the media that "there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league," adding that commissioner Adam Silver should "make a stand." Two days later, the then-Miami Heat star called All-Star point guard Chris Paul, who along with 2009 first-overall pick Blake Griffin, helped the Clippers finally enjoy sustained success upon his arrival via trade in December 2011. The call was simply to let Paul know that he had someone to turn to if he needed anything amid all the drama, but this was part of a broader plan to make his voice heard about the Sterling issue.
"I didn't really care if any other players spoke out," James said. "I was doing it because I felt like I needed to speak out. I'm still learning. I'm going to give back when I can. There's a group that's going to come behind me. There's a group that's going to come behind those guys. This beautiful game has to continue to flow the right way, and, where I can make an impact, I'm going to continue to do it."
Sure enough, more players took to social media, calling for Sterling's ouster. James' teammate Chris Bosh spoke to ESPN about the importance of "getting the word out," while Kevin Durant, then playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, expressed disappointment that the nice guy he once met had some very disturbing things to say about Black people.
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