The National Basketball Association's Adam Silver became basketball's star of the day with his swift, unprecedented decision to slap LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling with a lifetime ban from the league and a US$2.5 million fine.

Donald Sterling courted worldwide controversy last week when an audio recording of his racist, anti-Black comments were made public by TMZ.com.

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In the audio recording, Sterling told his girlfriend, a Mexican-Black model named V. Stiviano, not to bring Black people to any of his team's games, and to refrain from making public her association with minorities.

Sterling's racist comment had elicited a silent protest from his own team players, who wore their uniforms inside out as they went into Game 4 of their playoff series against the Golden State Warriors.

Protests against Sterling's racist comments snowballed quickly, from players to NBA supporters worldwide, with no less than President Obama calling it "incredibly offensive."

As of the weekend, commercial sponsors were reported to have pulled out their support for the Clippers team.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, responding swiftly to the clamor to investigate Sterling and issue the appropriate punishment if the 80-year old franchise owner was found guilty, said he would release a decision by Tuesday.

And he did.

Drawing from his broad powers as head of the NBA, Silver announced one of the heaviest sanctions ever handed down in sporting history: a lifetime ban on Sterling from any and all associations with the NBA.

Even as franchise owner of the LA Clippers, Sterling can not go to any of its games; he can not have any role or decision-making power in the operations of the franchise; and he can no longer serve as one of the league's governors, according to Silver's decision.

Silver also vowed to force Sterling to give up his ownership of the team, which legal experts say could be the trickier part because the sale of any NBA team will require a three-fourths vote of the League's 30 team owners.

Clippers coach Doc Rivers said the team wholeheartedly welcomed and embraced the NBA Commissioner's decision to sanction their boss, saying they can now finally start the healing process.  

The Clippers soared to victory just hours after the decision came out, winning Game 5 of their playoff against the Warriors, 113-103.

The team had earlier contemplated boycotting their playoff games but decided against it, opting instead to make their voices heard in a "silent protest", such as going into their game with their jerseys worn inside out to hide the team logo.

The NBA's lifetime ban on Sterling likewise drew widespread support from NBA followers, saying the league is and has always been at the forefront of unifying people regardless of race. 

TagsLA Clippers, Donald Sterling, Adam Silver