Donald Sterling sounded oddly at peace in a recent interview.
I say oddly because he filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the NBA after essentially declaring war on anyone who believed had wronged him. That’s not a calm life situation.
But he probably knew something we didn’t.
Sterling -- along with his wife, Shelly -- will and approve the sale of the Clippers, NBC News has learned.
“Donald Sterling officially announces today the NBA and Donald Sterling and Shelly Sterling have agreed to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer for $2billion and various additional benefits. All disputes and outstanding issues have been resolved,” Bobby Samini, one of Sterling’s attorneys, told NBC.
Ramona Shelburne of ESPN added details:
Blecher tells ESPN that Donald Sterling "agrees to sell and to drop lawsuit. NBA agrees to drop charges and to not sue him for anything."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) June 4, 2014
If Sterling wants to repair his image, it won’t be an easy process – nor should it be. There’s no guarantee a lifetime would be long enough to atone for his misdeeds.
But this was absolutely the best step he could have taken. Sterling needs to get out of the spotlight, let the hatred toward him dissipate.
Then, he can either remain in the shadows and live out the rest of his life or re-emerge and prove he’s changed.
That option would not have existed as long as the Clippers sale and lawsuit hung in the balance.
Finally, we can all move on. Sterling most of all.