Adam Silver Says Donald Sterling Situation ‘Dramatically Different’ Than Robert Sarver

NBA commish Adam Silver is addressing comparisons between Donald Sterling and Suns proprietor Robert Sarver — who was punished for allegedly saying the N-word — calling the conditions “dramatically different” from each other.

Sarver was slapped with a $10 million nice and one-year suspension on Tuesday after a prolonged NBA investigation confirmed the multi-millionaire proprietor repeated the N-word on not less than 5 events and handled feminine staff in a different way, amongst different accusations.

The league famous Sarver did not seem to make use of the phrase with racist intent … however was repeating the phrase.

Still, many individuals have raised Sterling’s identify … asking why the previous Los Angeles Clippers proprietor was banned without end (he additionally obtained a $2.5 million nice), whereas Sarver was hit with a comparatively modest 365-day suspension.

Of course, TMZ Sports broke the Sterling story in 2014 … when the actual property developer and crew proprietor was heard berating “friend” V. Stiviano over a photograph she took with Lakers legend Magic Johnson at Staples Center throughout a Clips recreation.

“It bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you’re associating with Black people. Do you have to?” Sterling requested Stiviano.

Sterling additionally informed her … “You can sleep with [black people]. You can bring them in, you can do whatever you want. The little I ask you is not to promote it on that … and not to bring them to my games.”

Silver defined why he believes the Silver state of affairs is much worse than Sarver.

“For me the situations are dramatically different. What we saw in the case of Donald Sterling was blatant racist conduct directed at a select group of people,” Adam informed media in NYC.

Silver additionally apologized to former and present Suns/Mercury staff, and spoke in regards to the sheer shock he felt when studying of the accusations towards Sarver.

“I was in disbelief to a certain extent about what I learned had transpired over the last 18 years in the Suns organization. I was saddened by it, disheartened, I want to again apologize to the former and in some cases current employees of the Phoneix Suns for what they had to experience, there’s absolutely no excuse for it, and we addressed it.”