While the media takes Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling to task for recorded racist rants attributed to him, among other things, here are a few things you may want to know about the fiasco.
1. Donald Sterling was born Donald Tokowitz.
According to an article in The Nation, Sterling (né Tokowitz) was the only son of an immigrant produce peddler. He helped pay his way through law school by working at night selling furniture. It was around that time he changed his name to Sterling. "You have to name yourself after something that's really good, that people have confidence in. People want to know that you're the best," he reportedly told a coworker at the time.
2. A Village People member has banned the Clippers from playing his songs.
The lead singer of the Village People, Victor Willis, threatened legal action if the team played any of his songs—including "Y.M.C.A." and "Macho Man"—during any of their games. He sent his very clear message via tweet, doubling down with TMZ saying that on Monday he was going to send an official notice of his request to Sterling.
3. V. Stiviano insists that she is not his girlfriend, but his archivist.
Stiviano set the record straight with TMZ saying that the much-older man is not her boyfriend and that their relationship has always been professional—with her working for him for about four years as an "archivist," as well as helping out with Clippers charity work.
4. There are over 100 hours of recordings of Sterling in existence.
Speaking of Stiviano the archivist, she was apparently maybe too good at her job? TMZ, which has been breaking the story at almost every angle, also reported that Stiviano has more than 100 hours of recordings that hold more damning evidence against Sterling's already muddied reputation. She was responsible for making the recordings at the Clippers owner's request so that he could freshen up on what he's said in the past, as he claimed to have a bad memory.
5. Magic Johnson is buying out the Clippers? Not exactly.
There had been rumors circulating that Magic Johnson, one of the people whom Sterling allegedly called out in the already aired recordings, was interested in purchasing the team from Sterling when he is ready (voluntarily or involuntarily) to sell. However, ESPN Los Angeles reporter Ramona Shelburne quickly debunked that myth on her Twitter, saying that a source close to the former basketball star told her that Johnson has had "zero, zero, zero conversations" about purchasing the embattled team.
Read more at The Root:
"LA Clippers Stage Silent Protest Against Owner’s Alleged Racist Remarks"
"NBA Enabled LA Clippers’ Owner and Now Must Oust Him"
"Donald Sterling’s Long History of Racism and Offensive Remarks"
"Donald Trump Goes After ‘Very, Very Bad Girlfriend’ for ‘Baiting’ Donald Sterling"
Breanna Edwards is a newswriter at The Root. Follow her on Twitter.