Donald Sterling ban: Lakers president Jeanie Buss praises Adam Silver’s ‘great leadership’

Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson talks to the media about the Lakers at a Time Warner event to honor the late Jerry Buss in Los Angeles.  Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News

Jeanie Buss and Phil Jackson talks to the media about the Lakers at a Time Warner event to honor the late Jerry Buss in Los Angeles. Photo by David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News

Lakers president Jeanie Buss officially marked one of many NBA owners that applauded NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for issuing Clippers owner Donald Sterling a life-time ban after making racially insensitive remarks on an audio tape.

“In my statement yesterday, I said I had full confidence in Adam Silver and how he and the NBA would handle this situation,” Buss said Tuesday in a statement. “In today’s announcement Adam was decisive, firm and compelling and showed great leadership in his condemnation of the horrible and offensive comments that have led to this action.”

Sterling’s life-time ban means he is barred from attending any Clippers games, including tonight’s Game 5 of their first-round series against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. Sterling also cannot go to any practices and has no say in any future business and personnel decisions. Silver also handed Sterling a $2.5 million fine.

Silver said three-fourths of the NBA’s owners would have to vote to force Sterling to sell the Clippers.

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