Donald Sterling and his wife and mother of three kids, Rochelle “Shelly” Stein, lost their son, Scott Sterling, at his Malibu home at 32 in January 2013.
As a former owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers, Sterling’s legacy is marked by success in real estate and professional basketball.
While his business acumen made him a billionaire, his reign as an NBA owner ended in disgrace following one of the most infamous scandals in sports history.
In 1981, Sterling purchased the San Diego Clippers/Los Angeles Clippers for $12.5 million, a struggling NBA franchise at the time.
Under Sterling’s ownership, the Clippers became known as one of the least successful teams in NBA history for much of the 1980s and 1990s.
While he faced criticism for his frugality and management style, the Clippers’ fortunes began to change in the 2010s, thanks to acquisitions of star players like Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan.
However, despite the team’s on-court success, Sterling’s personal conduct would ultimately overshadow it.
In 2014, Sterling was banned for life from the NBA after audio recordings of him making racist remarks were made public.
The incident ignited a national conversation about racism in sports and led to the forced sale of the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for a record $2 billion.
The events of Sterling’s fall from grace were later depicted in the FX limited series “Clipped,” released in 2024.
The show revisits the 2014 scandal that led to his ousting from the NBA, highlighting key figures and moments from the controversy.
A notable focus of the series is on V. Stiviano, whose secret recordings of Sterling’s racist remarks were the catalyst for his lifetime ban from the league.
Donald Sterling and His Wife, Shelly Stein, Co-owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, Had Become Estranged by 2014!
The American attorney Donald Sterling married Rochelle “Shelly” Stein in 1955, and the couple had three children: Scott, Joanna, and Chris.
Shelly Sterling played a crucial role in his business ventures, often managing and overseeing their expansive real estate empire.
Together, they were once considered the largest residential landlords in Los Angeles County, according to Ramona Shelburne’s podcast “The Sterling Affairs.”
Shelly was also a co-owner of the Los Angeles Clippers alongside her husband.
She played a key role in the couple’s acquisition of the San Diego Clippers/Los Angeles Clippers in 1981 for $12.5 million, viewing it as a strategic investment.
Despite their long marriage, Sterlings’ relationship faced numerous ups and downs.
By the time of the 2014 scandal, the couple had become estranged.
Following the release of the controversial recordings, Shelly filed for divorce in 2015.
The tragic demise of their son, Scott, further complicated their strained relationship, with Shelly describing it as one of the factors that drove a wedge between them.
She remarked,
“My son d*ed about a year ago, and that was one of the things that came between us. I mean, he’s never been a real husband, as far as being with the kids. And there’s many issues.”
Via The Sporting News
Nonetheless, despite the divorce filing, the couple ultimately reconciled.
By March 2016, the Los Angeles Times reports revealed that they had chosen to call off the divorce and are now still together.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Donald Sterling was born Donald Samuel Tokowitz.
- He was born on April 26, 1934.
- Besides their late son, Scott, the couple has a daughter, Joanna Sterling, and a son, Chris Sterling.
