Donald Sterling may be banned for life from the NBA and the Clippers, but not his wife. Shelly Sterling has hired a lawyer and is planning a legal fight to keep her hold on the team.
According to ESPN.
Shelly Sterling has been a co-owner of the Clippers with her husband since 1981 and is one of two alternate governors. The other, team president Andy Roeser, began an indefinite leave of absence Tuesday. The team is owned by a family trust.
“Commissioner Silver made it clear, that when he announced sanctions against Donald, that the NBA was taking no action against me or my family,” Shelly Sterling said in a statement given to ESPN.
She has hired attorney Pierce O’Donnell to represent her interests as the league moves to terminate her husband’s ownership of the team.
“She will not agree to a forced or involuntary seizure of her interest,” O’Donnell said Thursday. “As her lawyers we will fight vigorously to defend her property rights.”
O’Donnell also told The Associated Press that Shelly Sterling has been separated from her husband for the past year and is considering divorce.
