Donald Sterling KNEW He Was Being Recorded ... Ex-GF Tells Friends

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Donald Sterling was AWARE he was being taped during the conversation that was posted on TMZ
Sports, in which the L.A. Clippers owner went on a racial rant ... so claims the woman who taped him.

A source connected with V. Stiviano tells TMZ Sports ... the full conversation lasted approximately 1 hour. We're told Stiviano insists it was clear to Sterling at the beginning of the conversation he was being recorded.

Doc Rivers We Protest With Our Hands

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LA Clippers coach Doc Rivers just told TMZ Sports ... his players will not be wearing anything symbolic to protest Donald Sterling's racist comments.

Donald Sterling NEW AUDIO RELEASED I Put Food on Black People's Tables

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More Donald Sterling audio has been released ... this time, you can hear the Clippers' owner explaining that he doesn't think he's racist because he puts food on the tables of his his black employees.

The audio -- just released on Deadspin -- appears to pick up where the clip published on TMZ Sports leaves off ... with Sterling's girlfriend V. Stiviano challenging him on April 9th about why she can't post photos of black people on her Instagram page.

GF: "I don't understand, I don't see your views. I wasn't raised the way you were raised."

Sterling: "Well then, if you don't feel -- don't come to my games. Don't bring black people, and don't come."

GF: "Do you know that you have a whole team that's black, that plays for you?"

Sterling: "You just, do I know? I support them and give them food, and clothes, and cars, and houses. Who gives it to them? Does someone else give it to them? Do I know that I have—Who makes the game? Do I make the game, or do they make the game? Is there 30 owners, that created the league?"

Sterling also objects when Stiviano compares his attitude toward black people to the Holocaust.

During the conversation, Stiviano says she didn't remove a photo of L.A. Dodgers star Matt Kemp from her Instagram page because he's mixed race and light-skinned and she thought Sterling would be OK with it.

She was wrong.

Sterling also threatens to replace Stiviano with another girl in his life for not getting behind his world views on race.

Clippers Asst. Coach Why Would We Wear Armbands?

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Seems the Clippers won't be taking Jesse Jackson's advice about wearing a symbolic armband when they take the court to play the Warriors today -- with one of the coaches telling us, "Why would we?"

Clippers assistant coach Kevin Eastman was leaving the team hotel in San Francisco on the way to the playoff game moments ago when we asked if the team was planning on wearing something like an armband to show their disapproval of Donald Sterling's racist comments.

Eastman only shot back 3 words -- "Why would we?"

There have been rumors that the team has contemplated wearing armbands, black socks or even patches on their uniforms to express their disdain ... but with Eastman's comments, it seems unlikely.

The game is set to begin at 12:30 PM PT. Stay tuned ...

Ex-Clipper Cuttino Mobley I Feel Bad for Donald Sterling Here's Why ...

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Former L.A. Clippers player Cuttino Mobley says he doesn't hate team owner Donald Sterling -- he actually feels sorry for the guy.

Mobley tells TMZ Sports ... he might actually understand where Sterling's hateful comments come from ... and he's not angry about it -- he feels pity for Sterling for going through life feeling that way.

"I feel bad for him ... being such an older person and still thinking like that in 2014."

And while Mobley says he never saw or heard Sterling do anything racist or offensive around him, he notes ..."If theres smoke in the city everywhere he goes when it comes to this type of situation, obviously, he's the one starting the fire."

Magic's Son EJ I'm Also Boycotting the Clippers

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Clippers games just got a lot less fabulous ... 'cause Magic Johnson's son EJ Johnson is joining his dad's boycott until team owner Donald Sterling steps down.

The "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills" star was rushing into 1 Oak Sunday night in Hollywood when he told our photog he's on team dad on the subject of the Donald Sterling audio.

As we previously reported ... NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says Sterling has agreed he won't go to the Clipper's playoff game today.

Tricky.

Prez Obama Sterling 'Ignorant' ... 'Incredibly Offensive'

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President Obama joined in the lambasting of L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling, saying "When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance, you don't really have to do anything. You just let them talk. That's what happened here."

Obama spoke to reporters in Malaysia during his diplomatic mission, but things quickly turned domestic in the wake of the audiotape TMZ Sports posted.

Obama said Sterling's comments are an example of how "the United States continues to wrestle with the legacy of race and slavery and segregation."

The Prez also went on to say "That's still there, the vestiges of discrimination. We've made enormous strides, but you're going to continue to see this percolate up every so often."

Obama -- who called Sterling's remarks "incredibly offensive" --- said he's confident NBA Commish Adam Silver will do the right thing.

Donald Sterling Woman on Tape Won't Cooperate with NBA

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The woman you hear talking to Donald Sterling during a taped conversation in which he makes racist remarks will NOT cooperate with the NBA Commissioner's investigation ... and we've learned her refusal has nothing to do with the tape.

A rep from the law office representing V. Stiviano tells TMZ ... they heard NBA Commissioner Adam Silver state his intention to interview Stiviano, but that's not going to happen right now. We're told her lawyer, Mac Nehoray, will not allow her to answer questions about pending litigation against his client filed by Sterling's estranged wife.

Lil Wayne If I Were a Clipper I'd Quit

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Lil Wayne has a message for Donald Sterling ... "F*** you. That simple. That easy."

Wayne tells TMZ Sports ... if he were a member of the L.A. Clippers he would absolutely, positively quit the team in protest.

Wayne is indignant over the audio posted on TMZ Sports ... essentially telling members of the team that it's ridiculous for them to bust their ass on and off the court for a guy who has no respect for them.

Wayne thinks it's shameful to line Sterliing's pockets with their sweat.

Donald Sterling Irony -- Slated to Get NAACP Award Next Month

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7:45 PM PDT -- NAACP Interim President Lorraine Miller told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday Morning Sterling will no longer receive a lifetime achievement award next month.

It's stunning to say the least ... Donald Sterling has been tapped by the L.A. chapter of the NAACP for a Lifetime Achievement Award ... at a gala event next month.

Leon Jenkins, Prez of the L.A. branch, has said in the past, "He [Donald] has a unique history of giving to the children of L.A." Sterling donates thousands of Clippers tickets to local youth groups.

There have been several earlier allegations Sterling was a racist. Several years back, Jenkins was quoted as saying, "We can't speak to the allegations, but what we do know is that for the most part [Sterling] has been very, very kind to the minority youth community."

It's unclear if Sterling will receive the award at the May 15 ceremony.

NBA Commish Donald Sterling Won't Go to Clippers Playoff Game

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In the wake of Donald Sterling's racist comments on an audio recording ... he is persona non grata at his own team's playoff game ... according to the NBA Commissioner.

Adam Silver said Sterling "has agreed that he will not attend his playoff game [Sunday] in Golden State" while the league investigates the tape of Sterling arguing with his girlfriend.

During his news conference in Memphis ... the commish was surprisingly strong and deliberate with his words -- calling Sterling's comments on the tape ... "truly offensive and disturbing. "

Silver said the league hopes to have its investigation wrapped up in the next few days -- and said they would interview Sterling and his gf V. Stiviano ... and attempt to understand the context of the recording.

He added that Sterling deserves a fair chance to present his side of the story ... and as a result the league was not prepared to even discuss any potential sanctions.

Several people -- in and out of the NBA -- including LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Rev. Al Sharpton, Lil Wayne, and Magic Johnson ... have said Sterling should at least be suspended ... and at worst ... removed as owner of the Clippers.

Donald Sterling I'm NOT a Racist

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Donald Sterling has come out swinging, with the Clippers organization right behind him ... saying he and his team don't know if the audio TMZ Sports released is legit ... but he says it does NOT reflect his views toward African-Americans.

Sterling and the Clippers organization tell TMZ Sports, "We have heard the tape on TMZ Sports. We do not know if it is legitimate or if it has been altered."

The statement goes on ... "We do know that the woman on the tape -- who we believe released it to TMZ Sports -- is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family, alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would 'get even.'"

LeBron James If Sterling Owned My Team I Might Sit Out the Playoffs

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LeBron James would actually consider giving up his shot at an NBA Championship ... if Donald Sterling owned the Miami Heat -- that's how ANGRY he is about Sterling's racist comments.

LeBron says, "I would really have to sit down with my teammates, talk to my family because at the end of the day, our family, and our teammates are way more important than that."

He added, "I hate the fact that something like this has to come out when the playoffs have been unbelievable ... but there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league.”

LBJ said he really feels for his good friend, and Clippers star, Chris Paul -- telling reporters in the Heat locker room ... "I can only imagine what’s going through his head.”

He also called for NBA Commissioner Adam Silver to act swiftly and "make a stand" because Sterling's comments are unacceptable.

The pressure is on Silver ... who's holding a news conference at 5:30 PM PT to address the Sterling story.

Shaq If I Had a Vote I'd Kick Sterling OUT of the NBA

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Shaq says the Donald Sterling audio is "repugnant" and if he had a vote at the NBA table he'd get rid of the Clippers owner.

Shaq tells TMZ sports he thinks at the very least Sterling should get a long suspension, but if push came to shove and Shaq himself had a say he'd boot Sterling permanently.

But ... Shaq disagrees with Magic Johnson, who told us he thinks African Americans should boycott Clippers games as long as Sterling owns the team.

Clippers Coach Doc Rivers Whole Team Is Pissed About Sterling

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Black or white ... doesn't matter -- Clippers head coach Doc Rivers says every one of his players is angry about Donald Sterling's racist comments and how it could affect them in the NBA Playoffs.

Doc called the team's playoff appearance as a "dream" for his players and emphasized that Donald Sterling had "nothing to do" with them making it this far.

The coach spoke to TMZ Sports before a team practice in San Fran and admitted it was going to be very difficult to get them focused for tomorrow's game against the Golden State Warriors -- but he added, "My job is to try to lead them" through this distraction.

Doc also said none of his players, regardless of race, are happy about Sterling's comments, telling us ... "J.J. Redick is as pissed as Chris Paul."

We asked Doc if Sterling had addressed the team directly yet -- he told us he can't concern himself with what Sterling is doing

As for Magic Johnson calling for Sterling to be removed -- Doc pled the 5th, and walked away.

Magic Johnson Sterling Needs to be FORCED OUT Of the NBA

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Now that Magic Johnson has had a little time to process the racist comments of Donald Sterling -- directed at Magic himself -- he's very clear ... Sterling either has to sell the L.A. Clippers voluntarily or he should be forced to do it.

Magic tells TMZ Sports ... "He's got to give up the team," adding there's no place in the NBA for a racist.

And Magic says, Commissioner Adam Silver needs to give the ultimatum to Sterling -- sell or else.

Magic reaffirmed his call for a boycott by African-American fans, adding he will NEVER go to a Clippers game as long as Sterling owns the team.

And, listen to how he feels personally betrayed.