NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced Tuesday that the league has banned Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life. An NBA investigation determined that the racist comments made on a recording obtained by TMZ were made by Sterling, and Silver condemned his “hateful feelings.” The NBA also fined Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum allowed, and Silver hopes that the board of governors will vote to force a sale of the team.
After the press conference, the Clippers’ official website got a new look, with a simple message: We Are One.
The motto soon caught on. The Portland Trail Blazers used it to show their solidarity with their rivals, tweeting a photo of “WE ARE ONE” with their own logo and making it their Twitter avatar.
The Heat and Kings also posted “We Are One” photos.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Shabazz Muhammad tweeted, “WE ARE ONE!!! #NBA.” Others made it a hashtag, including Bud Light, the NBA’s official beer, Detroit Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva and BET chairman and CEO Debra Lee.
Apparel maker “Life is Good,” which donates 10 % of its net profits to help needy kids, tweeted, “Proud of the @NBA for having the courage to do what’s right. #weareone#biggerthanbasketball.”
