Donald Sterling Files for Divorce from Estranged Wife Shelly
Former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is getting a divorce. Dan Woike of the Orange County Register reported Wednesday that Sterling is officially separating from Shelly Sterling after nearly six decades of marriage.
Donald Sterling filed for divorce on Tuesday in Los Angeles' Superior Court of California, according to documents Woike obtained; however, Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times reported the filing was initially rejected for being incomplete.
Sterling, 81, had an unceremonious end to his time heading the Clippers because of controversial, racially charged remarks he made in private that were leaked to the public in April 2014. The woman Sterling made the offensive comments to, V. Stiviano, was sued and ultimately ordered to pay back Shelly Sterling $2.6 million in gifts as part of a lawsuit to recover damages.
Prior to the team being sold, the Sterlings went to probate court, where Shelly successfully ousted her husband as a family co-trustee, allowing the sale to proceed.
The Clippers were sold last August to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion. Sterling has been banned for life from the NBA and was hit with a $2.5 million fine as additional punishment.
L.A. responded well in 2014-15 amid its rare ownership change following Donald Sterling's lengthy 33-year tenure. Coach Doc Rivers' squad matched the organization's deepest playoff run by reaching the conference semifinals before bowing out to Houston after seven games.
