D onald Sterling is an American billionaire attorney and real estate magnate who is best known as the controversial former owner of the National Basketball Association's Los Angeles Clippers. The son of Jewish immigrants, he built his fortune by acquiring a vast portfolio of apartment buildings across Los Angeles, becoming one of the city's largest residential landlords.

In 1981, he bought the San Diego Clippers for a modest sum and later moved the team to Los Angeles. His long tenure as the team's owner was marked by a notorious reputation for frugality and a consistent lack of on-field success. His ownership came to an infamous end in 2014 when he was banned for life from the NBA after recordings of him making racist remarks were made public. The ensuing scandal forced the sale of the team, which was purchased by Steve Ballmer for a record $2 billion, a transaction that massively increased Sterling's net worth.