Who is Donald Sterling?His girlfriend, his wife, his fortune

Donald Sterling is an American-born billionaire and business mogul. He started as a lawyer and was able to set up his own independent law firm in the 1960s. He later expanded into real estate through which he acquired most of his fortune.

Sterling rose to prominence in 1981 when he purchased NBA team the San Diego Clippers (current Los Angeles Clippers). His tenure as owner of the Clippers lasted 33 years before ending endlessly. The business mogul was at the center of a 2014 racism scandal that cost him ownership of the Clippers and also earned him a lifetime ban from the NBA.

Who is Donald Sterling? Age

Donald Tokowitz Sterling was born on April 26, 1934, Chicago, Illinois. His mother Susan and father Mickey were both Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School, where he served as class president and a member of the school’s gymnastics team. For college, he studied at California State University in Los Angeles, after which he studied at Southwestern University School of Law, also in Los Angeles.

Sterling began his legal practice in 1961 at a time when there were very few opportunities for Jews in reputable law firms. He successfully established his own independent practice as a divorce and personal injury attorney. In 1965, he ventured into real estate with the acquisition of Lesser Towers, a couple of tall apartment buildings in Westwood, Los Angeles, which he renamed the Sterling Towers. In 1976, he rented the California Bank Building in Beverly Hills, which he renamed Sterling Plaza. His real estate business continued to boom throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, and by 2014 he had acquired as many as 162 properties in Los Angeles.

His involvement in the sport dates back to 1981 when he acquired the struggling San Diego Clippers from the NBA for $12.5 million. The team moved to Los Angeles in 1984 and adopted the name “Los Angeles Clippers”. Sterling and the Clippers continued to struggle through several unsuccessful seasons until the 1992-93 season when they recorded their first winning season. The highlight of his tenure with the Clippers came in the 2010s, when they won two successive division titles. The team won the Pacific Division title in the 2012-13 season and also replicated the same feat in the 2013-14 season.

Sterling’s ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers infamously ended in April 2014 after he was convicted of making racist comments during a private chat. The exchange was reportedly recorded in September 2013 by his mistress at the time, V. Stiviano, and made public on April 25, 2014, by TMZ Sports

For a league made up mostly of black players, Sterling’s comments were utterly condemned by everyone in the NBA. With the backing of the NBA Board of Governors, Sterling’s wife sold the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, despite her husband’s refusal to authorize the sale. Donald’s Sterling was also banned for life from the NBA and fined $2.5 million from the league.

Woman, Girl

Donald Sterling’s wife of over six decades is Rochelle Shelly Sterling (née Stein). The couple tied the knot on August 20, 1955 and welcomed three children during their marriage. They have a daughter Joanna and 2 sons, Scott and Chris.

Sterling’s only daughter, Joanna Miller (née Sterling), is married and has 4 children. Her husband, Eric Miller, was previously the basketball administration director for the LA Clippers.

Business, girlfriend

Although married, Donald Sterling was infamous for his involvement in numerous extra-marital affairs, many of which found their way into the media. In the 90s, the controversial business mogul reunited with a woman named Alexandra Castro, whom he also offered a million dollar apartment. Their relationship finally ended in 2003, after which Sterling sought to repossess the apartment. After a fierce legal battle, the duo reached an out-of-court settlement in 2004.

Sterling is also known to have become involved with another woman around 2012, a circumstance which almost led to the breakdown of his marriage. One of his ex-girlfriends, V. Stiviano (née María Vanessa Perez), is responsible for leaking tapes in which he made racist remarks that ultimately cost him ownership of the LA Clippers.

Net value

Although he may not be an exemplary example in terms of ethics and morality, this business leader continued to make significant financial gains and, despite the setback of losing ownership of his former franchise of the NBA, he retained his billionaire status. Donald Sterling’s net worth stood at $3.6 billion as of February 2019.

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