'Clipped' on Hulu: How Donald Sterling's frail health condition finally sparked LA Clippers' sale
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Clipped', streaming on Hulu, refreshes the memory of Donald Sterling's scandal in 2014 that caused chaos in the basketball fraternity. The series traces his relationship with his assistant V Stiviano up until the moment he lost the LA Clippers due to his racist comments and diagnosis of dementia.
In the first two episodes, released on June 4, 2024, V Stiviano is introduced as Sterling's assistant/archivist, who records their conversations to allegedly keep notes.
Her intentions are questioned when one of the audio clip is leaked into the media, framing Sterling as a racist man.
Those who followed the scandal back in 2014 would know how things ended up for Sterling and Stiviano. Sterling was not only banned by the NBA but also lost ownership of his team.
How did Donald Sterling lose the ownership of LA Clippers?
Donald Sterling's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease played a crucial role in the eventual sale of the team, a move spearheaded by his wife, Shelly Sterling.
Concerns about his mental state had been growing for years. Family and friends noticed his increasing forgetfulness and incoherence.
As reported by ESPN, Shelly herself suspected he had dementia and urged him to get evaluated after his erratic interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, where instead of apologizing for his racist comments he ended up insulting Magic Johnson and the black community.
Donald Sterling voluntarily underwent a neurological exam where he was detected with symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, as reported by USA Today.
This condition rendered him mentally unfit to manage the Sterling Family Trust, which owned the Clippers. Shelly Sterling used the situation to her advantage and gained sole control of the trust, enabling her to sell the team without needing Sterling's approval.
Amid the building pressure from the NBA, which planned to terminate both Sterlings' ownership interests, Shelly negotiated the sale of the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion.
Despite Donald Sterling’s refusal to acknowledge his wife's authority to sell the team and his subsequent lawsuit against the NBA, the sale to Ballmer proceeded.
The terms of the deal included Shelly's agreement to not sue the NBA and to indemnify the league against any related lawsuits, including those from her husband. This effectively isolated Donald in his legal battle.
Thus, the diagnosis not only explained Sterling's erratic behaviour, it also facilitated the sale of Clippers.
Who plays Donald Sterling in 'Clipped'?
Ed O'Neill reprises the role of former LA Clippers owner in Hulu's latest sports drama 'Clipped'.
Neill, 78, rose to fame with his role of Al Bundy on the Fox sitcom 'Married... with Children' (1987–1997).
He is also widely known for playing family patriarch Jay Pritchett in the award-winning ABC sitcom 'Modern Family' (2009–2020).
How to stream 'Clipped'?
'Clipped', starring Laurence Fishburne, Ed O'Neill, Jacki Weaver, and Cleopatra Coleman, made its debut with the first two episodes on June 4, 2024.
Consisting of six episodes, Hulu will drop a fresh one every Tuesday until its conclusion on July 2.
Fans with a subscription to Hulu can watch the sports drama in the comfort of their homes.
'Clipped' trailer