Donald Sterling tells NBA he won't pay fine

Jeff Zillgitt, 

+USA TODAY Sports

(Photo: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)

Banned +Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling won't pay the $2.5 million fine levied by the NBA, Sterling's attorney wrote in a letter to the +NBA, a person with first-hand knowledge of the letter told +USA TODAY Sports.

The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the letter, which was sent Thursday.

The attorney, Maxwell M. Blecher, also wrote that Sterling doesn't warrant "any punishment at all" for his racist comments that were recorded in a conversation with a female friend and made public.

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Blecher, a well-known antitrust attorney, also contends that the fine violates Sterling's due process rights.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on April 29 fined Sterling $2.5 million and issued him a lifetime ban. Silver also said he will urge other owners to force a sale of the Clippers and do everything in his power to ensure that.

If three-fourths of the other 29 owners agree to Silver's recommendation, Sterling will be forced to sell the team he has owned since 1981.

After the ruling, players, fellow owners and civil rights leaders applauded Silver. Union representatives had discussed a boycott of playoff games had Silver not delivered such a strong ruling.

Sterling has already missed the deadline for paying fine, which earlier this week.

It is not a surprise Sterling's attorney threatened a legal battle. Sterling is well-known for litigious tactics, and the league had been expecting Sterling to fight.

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VIDEO: Did Sterling on CNN do more damage?

The letter was in direct response to the fine and the lifetime ban. The NBA's advisory-finance committee was also notified of the letter.

Blecher is one of Sterling's longtime lawyers and represented Sterling when he moved the Clippers from San Diego to Los Angeles in 1984, and the NBA fined him $25 million. Sterling sued the league for $100 million and dropped it when the NBA reduced his fine to $6 million.

Rivers fined $25K for Justifiably Criticizing Officials by the NBA

+Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers has been fined $25,000 for publicly criticizing the officiating after a controversial call in his team's dramatic Game 5 loss to the +Oklahoma City Thunder.

According to a Clippers statement, the comments that earned Rivers the fine were made in the postgame press conference following the Clippers' 105-104 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on May 13, at Chesapeake Energy Arena. 

The Clippers believed the Thunder's Reggie Jackson had knocked the ball out of bounds with 11.3 seconds remaining, but officials ruled it Oklahoma City ball. After going to replay, the call stood, and the Thunder rallied to win the game.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers was livid, saying the Clippers were ''robbed,'' but +NBA president of basketball operations Rod Thorn said Wednesday in a statement that: ''In order to reverse the call made on the court, there has to be 'clear and conclusive' evidence. Since no replay provided such evidence, the play correctly stood as called with the Thunder retaining possession.''

Photo Courtesy +FOX Sports 

Magic's Agent, with much Validity, Strongly Opposes Sterlings Ignorant, Bitter Remarks by Sterling

+SPORTS CR3W is only briefly talk about a person that time shouldn't be wasted on in our opinion. To Donald Sterling of the +Los Angeles Clippers, if you're gonna go at a gentleman again, maybe know what the hell your're talking about. Magic has paid his penance. You're talking on something nearly 25 years ago?? If you were paying attention, the guy did more for the disease and the advancement of the treatment of it and taught others to not follow in his mistakes. Let alone, all the good will he does. Sad thing is that this guy has obviously had this slanted viewpoint for decades and he is finally being exposed. The leagues, franchise deserve to get rid of such sickness. Racism is a disease and the guy needs counseling/therapy as "Meta World Peace," poignantly said when this came out on his twitter account.

Clippers owner Donald Sterling, right, said in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper that aired Monday that he didn't think Lakers great Magic Johnson is "a good example for the children of Los Angeles." (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times; Robyn Beck / Getty Images)

Agent: Magic Johnson the 'opposite' of what Donald Sterling said

MIKE BRESNAHAN

The longtime agent and friend of Magic Johnson responded quickly to defend Johnson after Donald Sterling's incendiary comments Monday on CNN.

Johnson is "the exact opposite" of the way Sterling portrayed him on "Anderson Cooper: 360," said Lon Rosen, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of the +Los Angeles Dodgers.

Related story: Donald Sterling slams Magic Johnson, cites HIV status
Shelby Grad

"I've known Earvin since 1979 and his whole mission in life has been to create business opportunities in urban America and to be charitable," Rosen told The Times on Monday. "He has literally donated tens of millions of dollars of his own money to organizations and individuals forever and ever and ever.

"In 1986, he decided to create the United Negro College Fund summer basketball game. He did this while he was a player. He raised millions and millions of dollars. He did this on his own for years.

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"He has opened up movie theaters in urban markets across America. He had 124 Starbucks in urban cities across the country. His business model has revitalized urban America and he continues to do it."

Rosen relayed a story in which he went with Johnson in 1990 to visit a school in Mississippi that benefited from the +UNCF summer game.

"When he was there, he noticed there was a raffle to raise money because they wanted to rebuild a track. He asked how much it was and they said $150,000," Rosen said. "He pulled out his checkbook and wrote a check on the spot.

"And by the way, he's done this at so many of these events. And he doesn’t want press on it."

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, right, and V. Stiviano, left, watch the Clippers play the Sacramento Kings during an exhibition game earlier this season at Staples Center.Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press

There are 150 students on college scholarships via Johnson's foundation, Rosen said. Johnson has also donated $5 million to the West Angeles church.

Sterling was banned for life by the +NBA two weeks ago for comments he made about blacks. In that audio recording, he derisively asked a female friend why she posted a photo of Johnson on Instagram.

Sterling was not apologetic Monday on +CNN.

"What has he done? Can you tell me? Big Magic Johnson, what has he done?" he asked Cooper. "He’s got AIDS. Did he do any business, did he help anybody in South L.A.?

“What kind of a guy goes to every city, has sex with every girl, then he catches HIV? Is that someone we want to respect and tell our kids about? I think he should be ashamed of himself. I think he should go into the background. But what does he do for the black people? He doesn’t do anything.”

Rosen clarified that Johnson is HIV-positive but does not have AIDS, and declined further comment.