Donald Sterling Loses Appeal to Get the LA Clippers Back

Former LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling continues to unsuccessfully engage in legal warfare to get his team back.

A three-judge panel ruled that Sterling can’t do anything to reverse the record-setting $2 billion sale of the Clips to Steve Ballmer.

Shelly Sterling negotiated the ownership transfer after the 81-year-old billionaire’s humiliating ouster.

Per the AP:

The 2nd District Court of Appeal said Shelly Sterling properly removed her husband from a family trust that owned the team and that the sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer prevented the trust from an “extraordinary loss.” […] Shelly Sterling took control of the family trust after a recording surfaced of Donald Sterling making offensive comments to a young girlfriend about blacks and other minorities.

 

The NBA fined him $2.5 million, banned him from the league for life and threatened to seize and auction the team. […] Shelly Sterling was able to take control of the trust after two doctors found her husband of nearly six decades had signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

 

The three-judge panel also noted that before Sterling refused to sign off on the sale he had congratulated his wife on the price she negotiated. […] “Wow, you really did a good job,” he exclaimed.