Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Is Reportedly Battling Cancer

Recently banned from the NBA and cast out of society due to numerous horrible acts, including a taped racist diatribe you might’ve heard about, many thought Donald Sterling would disappear forever. Well the dark reality of it all is that those people might be getting their wish sooner than later according to the New York Post:

Disgraced racist Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is battling cancer — surprising those around him by beating the final buzzer for as long as he has, sources told The Post on Thursday.

“They thought he would die two years ago,” one source said of Sterling, who on Tuesday was banned for life from the NBA for his now-infamous recorded racist rant.

“People have been predicting his imminent demise. I’m sure he has the best . . . drugs money can buy,” said the source, who works closely with pro sports teams. “He can do anything to keep himself alive.”

Now I know it’s from the Post, so that’s about as reliable as the scribblings on the bathroom wall. But it isn’t like this story is out of the realm of possibility. Sterling is reportedly suffering from prostate cancer, the same disease that affected former Clippers’ assistant coach Kim Hughes, who was refused coverage for surgery by Sterling.

“I contacted the Clippers about medical coverage and they said the surgery wouldn’t be covered,” Hughes told The Journal Times of Racine, Wis., in 2011.

“They said if they did it for one person, they’d have to do it for everybody else.”

Four Clippers players chipped in to cover the $70,000 cost. (via)

Of course the best part of this is the first tidbit I’ve read about Sterling’s reaction to his racist comments. Either he’s out of touch or he’s so deep in the trench that he can’t tell the difference:

“He’s calling everyone, saying: ‘Tell me I’m not a racist,’ ” a source said, noting that the friends are refusing, for fear that Sterling was recording them.

Sources said Sterling has also been telling friends that he doesn’t understand the public furor over his recorded comments to then-girlfriend V. Stiviano, whom he scolded for publicly “associating with black people” and told not to bring any black friends to “my games.”

And insiders at ABC said Sterling was in negotiations to chat with Barbara Walters for a “20/20” interview. (via)

And of course he’s going to give an interview. Just like Lance Armstrong and everyone other disgraced athletic figure, we have to give them a forum to try and fix their self-image. Then again, Sterling might not even make it to the interview.

And then on his death bed, I can only imagine he would blame one culprit: black magic. Kudos to Josh Kurp for that one.

(Via New York Post)

×