Remember that time when ESPN pulled Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver’s pants down with a bombshell report that revealed he was a racist, sexist piece of shit? Well, now comes the news that despite his best efforts to deny that he would ever be capable of exhibiting such repulsive behavior, he’s exactly the sexist trashcan that ESPN said he was.
As Sports Illustrated was kind enough to report, with the NBA’s investigation into Sarver’s conduct underway, a new video has surfaced that has the 60-year-old billionaire spewing the same type of nonsense that his former employees have accused him of. While participating in a posthumous “roast” of Suns minority owner Dick Heckman earlier this year, Sarver casually cracked some of the following jokes:
- In reference to the sexual exploits of Heckmann’s sons: “We just bought the team in June of 2004. My biggest concerns were ticket sales, sponsorship revenue, trying to sign some players, getting a winning record—what I really know is my biggest concern was the Heckmann boys were fucking their way through the cheerleading team.”
- In reference to Heckmann’s own sex life: “Dick was chasing everything that moved in Scottsdale. And speaking of—someone said he left his DNA. He did leave his DNA in [former Suns point guard] Steve Nash’s socks somewhere in the locker room.”
- More jokes about Heckmann’s sex life: “Dick would say he had sex 10 times in a day. Unmedicated. [...] And I finally figured out, it was Dick’s sex math. So when he said ‘10 times,’ [Sarver thrusts] what he meant is like in and out five times; that was 10 times for Dick.”
- And offered some smoke to someone in the crowd who was on their phone instead of paying attention. “This guy’s got a make-believe deal going on over here at fucking three in the morning. You merging on a SPAC, or you lining up a hooker over there? What are you doing? It’s a goddamn memorial service. Fucking idiot, Jesus Christ. I’m gonna guess his receptionist has small tits. But, he has no idea; he’s just drinking his wine.”
While a spokesperson from the NBA confirmed to SI that the league is aware of the video, neither the Suns nor Sarver has commented on it since the full nine-minute, 35-second clip emerged.
Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Sarver’s wife, Penny, is out here firing off DMs and text messages to former Suns employees in an apparent attempt to intimidate them while the NBA conducts its investigation.
From ESPN:
“This is Penny Sarver,” one message began. “I know a lot of bridges were burned between you and Robert and you are very bitter. I want to remind you that real lives are at stake here.”
Later, the message added, “Please put your hatred aside and realize the hurt you are causing by spreading lies and fabrications. Is your time in the spotlight that important? If something happens to one of my children, I will hold you and Earl Watson personally responsible. Think about your own child for a second and imagine the tables turned.”
A second former employee received a message that began, “I am so terribly saddened that you would say such untrue things about my husband. Your interpretation of what happened is so far from the truth. You are crushing my families lives. Thanks for that.”
A third former employee said their message began, “You are such a liar. In your trying to destroy my husband with [your] lies—you have destroyed my family and children.”
In discussing the messages that they received, one former employee made it abundantly clear to ESPN that they felt threatened.
“I don’t know how to interpret it other than as a threat,” they said.
However, Penny insists that such claims are “outrageous,” and she was merely attempting to clear her trash-ass husband’s name.
“Over the weekend, I decided on my own to reach out to a few people to try to set the record straight and to share how disappointed and hurt I am by the lies that are circulating about my husband and the Suns organization,” Penny told ESPN. “I shared the betrayal that I felt and I touched on some of the pain that we are going through as a family.
“Any suggestion that I tried to ‘intimidate’ anyone is as silly as it is wrong and outrageous.”
OK, then.
All I know is if the NBA wraps up this investigation as quickly as Pfizer churned out its COVID-19 vaccine I would greatly appreciate it.