30 for 30 Podcasts Drops New Series About Donald Sterling Scandal

In the same way people remember where they were on September 11th, 2001, I remember exactly where I was when Donald Sterling’s racist recordings were released to the world. It was April of 2014 and I was in a hotel room in Puerto Rico for my brother’s wedding. Before the news broke, I had no idea who Donald Sterling was but after hearing what he had to say, it was clear that Sterling wasn’t long for the NBA or the public eye.

Sterling’s outlook on the world was revealed to be much like a slave owner, so owning a team in a league dominated by African-Americans, quite simply, wasn’t going to fly. Eventually, Sterling was banned from the NBA for life by Adam Silver and his team, the Los Angeles Clippers, was sold to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

The complete story, which ESPN (in association with The Undefeated and Western Sound) chose to document in five parts for their new season of 30 for 30 Podcasts, is fascinating. Sterling had issues for years before the tapes came out and the series does a great job outlining them, as well as the lasting effects of the scandal. Popular ESPN personality Ramona Shelburne hosts the series, which can be heard below in five parts.

The Sterling Affairs

The Sterling Affairs: That Tape (pt.1)

The Sterling Affairs: The Opposite of Showtime (pt.2)

The Sterling Affairs: Property (pt.3)

The Sterling Affairs: Fallout (pt.4)

The Sterling Affairs: Not Fit (pt.5)

You can listen to the complete series here, as well as all other episodes from 30 for 30 Podcasts.