Magic Johnson: Clippers Owner’s Racist Comments Are ‘Black Eye’ For NBA

Former Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson stands under a statue of himself after a news conference at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2014. It was announced that Johnson is part of a group buying ... Former Los Angeles Laker Magic Johnson stands under a statue of himself after a news conference at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Feb 5, 2014. It was announced that Johnson is part of a group buying the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) MORE LESS
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NBA legend Magic Johnson used his Twitter account on Saturday to offer additional criticism of racist comments made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. Johnson vowed not to attend another Clippers game as long as Sterling remains the owner.

“LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s comments about African Americans are a black eye for the NBA,” Johnson wrote.


TMZ on Friday put online an audio recording of Sterling arguing with his girlfriend, V. Stiviano, in which Sterling told Stiviano he didn’t want her bringing black people — and Magic Johnson in particular — to his basketball games. According to TMZ, the argument took place April 9, after Stiviano posted a photograph on Instagram of her posing with Johnson.

In his initial response to the recording, Johnson told TMZ it was a “shame that Donald Sterling feels that way about African-Americans.” On Twitter on Saturday, Johnson went further, saying he felt “sorry” for Clippers coach Doc Rivers and point guard Chris Paul.

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  1. I hope others follow Magic’s lead and the stands remain empty. Would be great to see. Hopefully even those with season tickets won’t show.

  2. But of course, racism no longer exists in America, 'cause the GOP says so.

    As this latest depressing incident lands on top of the Bundy mess, right-wingers try to salvage their militia heroes with the “it isn’t about race, it’s about government tyranny!” line.

    Consider the following hypothetical case, which would closely match the legal issues in the Bundy case.

    A town in the Southwest – let’s say for the sake of argument a heavily hispanic/black town – decides to siphon water from a federal dam to avoid paying its water bills. The courts tell them to stop and to remove the illegal water lines. They refuse, insisting that its “the people’s water” and it’s tyranny for government to tell them not to use it. Federal officers are sent to remove the illegal taps, but the town is soon swarmed by heavily-armed Black Panthers, who threaten the officers and force them to withdraw.

    Would Fox and the wingnut right still hail these people as patriot heroes for resisting federal land and resource ownership? Because the “cause” would be exactly the same. Or is it maybe about race after all?

  3. I’d love to be a fly on the wall of the Clippers locker room. I agree with Magic Johnson’s comment!

  4. Avatar for darcy darcy says:

    Yeah, the owner is racist no doubt but Magic Johnson should be the last one to act as the moral authority for the NBA. Here’s a married man having orgies with porn stars, gets the AIDS virus, lies about it till he has to admit to it, a man and player many considered at one time,the icon, along with Larry Bird, as to what the NBA was all about. Magic did enormous damage himself to the image of the black athlete.

    Edit for TomBlue (getting around the three posts thing):

    Thanks Tom, didn’t know you cared. And you’re right, I was just stirring the pot, the neo-liberal faux outrage pot. Nothing else going on you know, all Bundy all the time. Borrrring. An old racist coot getting all that attention. Meanwhile. housing, which has played a significant role in every economic recovery, has just taken a major hit this week. Not one thread here about it and very little mention of Obama in Japan trying to keep them in the TPP group. But I know it’s all about Bundy this week, and watching the 'pubs doing a 90 mph walk back. Yes it was amusing - but the TPP - that’s downright scary. But we love our 1st black president and I’m sure he’s got our best interest at heart. And the other guys don’t. That’s all I need to know.

    BTW, was a gym rat for a good number of years and was starting guard on my high school basketball team for two years. Yeah, we weren’t much good but I do know the game. Watched all the greats from college on. Saw the evolution of the game from the early '60’s. Remember well going from the burbs to the inner-city to play the all black all-city teams. That’s when my NBA dreams were crushed by reality. BTW, do you know the only player to average a triple double in one season?

  5. What a punny comment. :wink:

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