Awaiting action against Donald Sterling

By Adrian Brown

While the NBA decides the punishment for under-fire Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, a sponsor, Virgin America, has decided to end its relationship with the franchise. His comments will be the basis for this discussion.                             

The transcript of controversial racial statements attributed to Sterling reads like something I'm accustomed to from slave-bio pics, only with a modern context.

"Do you know that you have a whole team that's black,  that plays for you?" his female companion asks in the video published online.

Sterling replies: "Do I know? I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? … who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game?"

It has caused me to think though, how owners, predominantly white, think of their employees (in this specific case, the players and coaches). Are they simply chattel on a basketball plantation (as his statement would suggest) who rely on the benevolence of their masters (the owners), rather than supremely talented individuals?

The NBA is investigating the context in which Sterling made his statements before laying sanctions. But, as has been pointed out in U.S media, Commissioner Adam Silver's hands may be tied. Can a man who works for the owners, discipline an owner?

But while the world waits to see what happens, there is talk of a players boycott. Lebron James said on Saturday though that he has wavered back and forth on the question of whether he would actually sit out. That's not surprising, given that players are contractually obligated to ask how high when their owners ask them to jump.

The real answer then may lay with Sterling's fellow owners, a notion which is supported by veteran U.S reporter Ray Rotto. “Only the owners have the throw-weight to do something this big," he says.

Except, Vivek Ranadive, the Indian part-owner of the Sacramento Kings, and Michael Jordan of the Charlotte Bobcats, many have been silent on the issue.

That is telling.

Let me know what you think will be done. You can do this in our discussion below the commentary or you can interact with me directly via twitter @ag_brown.