# Donald Sterling

_American business magnate_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/donald-sterling
Last updated: 2026-10-31

> Donald T. Sterling (born Donald Samuel Tokowitz, April 26, 1934) is an American attorney and businessman who was the owner of the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 to 2014.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 26 April 1934 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5295184#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Chicago ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5295184#P19))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5295184#P27))
- **Occupation:** lawyer; businessperson; landlord ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5295184#P106))
- **Education:** California State University, Los Angeles; Southwestern Law School; Theodore Roosevelt High School ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5295184#P69))

## About

In April 2014, Sterling was banned from the NBA for life and fined $2.5 million by the league after private recordings of him making racist comments were made public. NBA commissioner Adam Silver, who announced Sterling's suspension, said he would immediately recommend to the NBA board of governors that Sterling be forced to sell the team. In May, Sterling's wife Shelly reached an agreement for the Sterling Family Trust to sell the Clippers for $2 billion to Steve Ballmer. Sterling contested the agreement in court, but the NBA board of governors approved the sale of the Clippers to Ballmer in August 2014. Sterling settled his lawsuit against the NBA in November 2016 and remains active in Los Angeles real estate.

Sterling's ownership of the Clippers is often criticized, and many consider him one of the worst owners in American sports history.

## Questions

**When was Donald Sterling born?**  
Donald Sterling was born on 26 April 1934 in Chicago.

**Where did Donald Sterling study?**  
Donald Sterling was educated at California State University, Los Angeles, Southwestern Law School, Theodore Roosevelt High School.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Donald Sterling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sterling) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q5295184](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5295184) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Derek Fisher buzzer beater vs. Clippers in 2010 (cropped).jpg by Michael Saechang (CC BY-SA 2.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Derek_Fisher_buzzer_beater_vs._Clippers_in_2010_(cropped).jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Donald Sterling, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Derek Fisher buzzer beater vs. Clippers in 2010 (cropped).jpg — Michael Saechang, CC BY-SA 2.0.

## Cite this page

"Donald Sterling". DigiNepal. Last updated 31 October 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/donald-sterling. Retrieved 6 November 2026.