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Shelly Sterling has managed to sidestep the NBA's involvement in the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers and in the process has secured the most lucrative deal ever for a franchise.
Shelly reached an agreement with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to sell the Clippers for $2 billion.
"I am delighted that we are selling the team to Steve, who will be a terrific owner," Shelly Sterling said in the statement. "We have worked for 33 years to build the Clippers into a premiere NBA franchise. I am confident that Steve will take the team to new levels of success."
Ballmer, who has a net worth of $20 billion, has promised to keep the team in L.A. A group that included Oprah Winfrey and David Geffen lost out after offering $1.6 billion for the team.
"I love basketball," the statement from Ballmer said. "And I intend to do everything in my power to ensure that the Clippers continue to win – and win big – in Los Angeles. LA is one of the world's great cities – a city that embraces inclusiveness, in exactly the same way that the NBA and I embrace inclusiveness. I am confident that the Clippers will in the coming years become an even bigger part of the community. I thank Shelly Sterling for her willingness to entrust the Clippers franchise to me, and I am grateful to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and his colleagues for working collaboratively with me throughout this process."
Donald Sterling bought the team in 1981 for $12 million. He didn't want to sell it, but his hand was forced when audio tapes where he could be heard espousing racist views leaked in April. He was banned by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, fined $2.5 million and was going to part with the team he's owned for 33 years.
According to USA Today, the business mogul wanted to stop the sale Ballmer. Donald claims he only gave Shelly permission to field offers from prospective buyers, then bring them to him for approval. However, he was ruled mentally unfit to make decisions related to the family trust.
The Sterling Family Trust owns the team. Donald and his estranged wife Shelly each have a 50% share.
The NBA is expected to approve the sale.
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