Los Angeles Clippers Owner Donald Sterling Ban For Life

Basketball Commissioner Adam Silver slapped Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling with a lifetime ban from the sport and a $2.5 million fine Tuesday over racist remarks attributed to Sterling.

Silver said the National Basketball Association "will begin immediately" to force Sterling to sell the team, which he has owned since the 1980s

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, right, and V. Stiviano, left, watch the Clippers play the Sacramento Kings

V. Stiviano, the woman who was a regular courtside presence at Los Angeles Clippers games next to owner Donald Sterling, is attracting more attention than the players.  She calls herself an artist, writer, chef, poet, stylist and philanthropist. 

Audio recordings that surfaced over the weekend purportedly depict an argument between Stiviano and Sterling. If authentic, the recordings seem to reflect Sterling's embarrassment and frustration with Stiviano over her associating with African-Americans at Clippers games and posting such pictures on her Instagram account.

Rochelle Sterling, the wife of 80-year-old Sterling calls Stiviano a mistress and a gold digger. Just last month, Sterling's wife filed a lawsuit against Stiviano, accusing her having an affair with the billionaire team owner. The suit claims that Donald Sterling used the couple's money to buy Stiviano a Ferrari, two Bentleys and a Range Rover.

Stiviano fought back, saying in another court document that there was nothing wrong with Donald Sterling giving her gifts. She also said she never took advantage of the Clippers owner, who made much of his fortune in real estate.