Los Angeles Clippers

Yokohama Tire Corporation has reinstated their sponsorship with the Los Angeles Clippers ... but only after an agreement that half of the Clip's money would be given to charity.

Earlier this week -- Yokohama suspended their deal with the Clippers while they waited to see which way the wind would blow.

One day after Donald Sterling's banishment from the NBA, a rep for Yokohama tells TMZ Sports they are ready to resume their sponsorship -- but ONLY if half of the 2014 NBA playoff sponsorship funds are "earmarked to a charity instead of the organization."

It's unclear which charities will benefit from the tire funds -- but we're told they will be organizations focusing on anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts.

Donald Sterling is getting SCREWED by the NBA ... so says African-American radio host Larry Elder who actually blames Magic Johnson for blowing the whole thing out of proportion.

Elder appeared on Fox 11 in L.A. yesterday and DEFENDED the disgraced Clippers owner during a heated exchange ... saying Sterling would still own the team if Magic would've kept his cool after the audio was released.

"Magic Johnson could have taken this thing to a nice high level ... and he could've said, 'I don't care what Donald Sterling says,'" Elder said.

Elder went on defend Sterling's statements .... "The worst thing [Sterling] said was 'Don't bring your black friends to the games.' The black friends can go, just don't have em sit next to you. If Magic wants to go, just don't have him sit next to you ... for that, he loses his team?"

Clippers with Attitudes??

Dr. Dre tells TMZ Sports ... he's "absolutely" interested in buying the L.A. Clippers when the NBA forces Donald Sterling to sell the team ... and he seems very serious about it.

Former Major League Baseball superstar Kenny Lofton made a statement of his own last night ... hitting up the Clippers game in L.A. in a shirt that read, "Black and Proud."

The shirt was a HIT with the fans -- including Holly Robinson Peete -- who praised Lofton for his gear.

We also asked Kenny the question lots of charities are asking themselves right now --- if Donald Sterling offered to make a donation to his organization, would he accept the money.

Donald Sterling's wife has apparently flip-flopped again ... hitting up the Clippers game by herself last night after the league BANNED her estranged husband FOR LIFE.

Shelly Sterling was escorted in and out of the Staples Center in L.A. -- by an official (who happened to be black btw) ... and cheered on the team Donald Sterling has been banned from associating with.

It's almost like she's thumbing her nose at Donald by going to the game, since he's not allowed anywhere near the arena.

It's an odd move by Shelly ... considering earlier in the week, she went to dinner with Donald and seemed to have his back -- screaming that he was NOT racist.

But days before that, she blasted him in the media ... claiming Donald's racist comments humiliated the family.

So, the question ... does Shelly have Donald's back or not??

It's too damn late for Donald Sterling to change his racist ways ... so says Lakers superstar Nick Young who tells TMZ Sports, it doesn't matter because he's gonna die soon anyway.

Young was out in L.A. yesterday when he told us, "The man is 90 years old. He's stuck in his ways. He ain't movin, he ain't changing. That's Django ... Django unchained."

He added, "He only got a few years left. He can go out as a villain."

UCLA is saying thanks but no thanks to Donald Sterling's $3 million pledge ... saying essentially its dirty money and they don't want it.

Sterling gifted $3 mil to the school, with an initial check for $425,000. The money was earmarked for kidney research.

And get this. The ad (above) that was placed in Sunday's L.A. Times is a "thank you" from UCLA to Donald and Shelly Sterling. UCLA claims the ad was placed by Donald Sterling, NOT the university.

A defiant Donald Sterling just said he would NOT sell the Los Angeles Clippers.

Sterling told Fox News' Jim Gray the team was NOT for sale. Gray said on Fox News he spoke with Sterling just before NBA Commish Adam Silver banned Sterling for life.

Silver said in his news conference ... if 3/4 of the NBA owners get on board they can force Sterling to sell the team. If that happens it looks like Sterling may well go to legal war.

It sounds like it may come to that.

Once again, there's a place you can go ... if you wanna hear the "Y.M.C.A." ... because the singer from the Village People is UNBANNING the Clippers from playing his song, now that Donald Sterling is out.

Victor Willis -- aka "The Cop" -- previously told TMZ Sports he would NOT allow the team to play his song at home games as long as Sterling was in charge of the squad.

But now that Donald is persona non grata with the NBA, Willis says he's rescinding the ban ... effective immediately.

He tweeted, "YMCA ban lifted! I'll get my people right on it. Feel like leading a celebratory 'YMCA dance' tonight @LAClippers game. Go Adam!"

NBA Commish Adam Silver made the announcement Tuesday ... saying the NBA will also fine Sterling $2.5 million ... and insists, "I will do everything in my power" to "force" Sterling to sell the Clippers.

Silver says he does not know if Sterling will fight the lifetime ban -- but says he has the full support of the NBA owners.

"I fully expect to get the support I need from the other NBA owners to remove him," Silver said.

Silver says he spoke to several players, coaches and owners before deciding on the lifetime ban.

As for the ban, Sterling will not be allowed to attend any NBA games or practices ever again ... and will not be permitted inside any team facilities.

The $2.5 million fine will be donated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts.

Silver says the ban will only pertain to Donald -- and not to his family members.

During the news conference, Silver said he was "personally outraged" by Sterling's comments.

Silver says ... during the investigation, Sterling confirmed he made the racist comments.

Silver noted, "The hateful opinions are those of Mr. Sterling. The views expressed by Mr. Sterling are deeply offensive and harmful."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Sterling told V. Stiviano he did not want her to bring black people to Clippers games, including Magic Johnson.

Magic has tweeted that he is "very happy and satisfied" with Silver's decision.

State Farm -- one of the Clippers' biggest sponsors -- tells TMZ Sports they're happy Donald Sterling has been banned for life ... but they're not ready to get back into business with the Clips ... yet.

We broke the story ... State Farm decided to "take a pause" in its relationship with the Clippers in the wake of the Sterling audio.

So, we reached out to the insurance titan today to see if SF would rekindle things with the team now that Sterling is gone for good -- and they told us, they need more time before running back to the blue and red.

"At this time, we are continuing the pause of our sponsorship of the Clippers organization as we evaluate this ongoing situation," a rep tells us.

State Farm notes they "applaud and support" Adam Silver's decision -- say they're especially proud of the way State Farm spokesperson Chris Paul has handled himself over the past few days.

The L.A. Clippers organization made a huge statement on its official website in the wake of the announcement that Donald Sterling is banned for life from the NBA ... saying simply, "We Are One."

Unclear who made the decision to post the message on the team website, since Sterling is no longer calling the shots.

It's not just the sponsors, now a famous L.A. clothing store says it's done with the Clippers too -- pulling all team merchandise off the shelves as long as Donald Sterling owns the team.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Kitson LA has decided to stop selling Clips items, effective immediately -- telling us, "We love our LA teams – the fans, the players, and the franchise -- but we cannot support the sale of an item that leads to Donald Sterling profiting in any way."

Donald Sterling's wife got REALLY close with her husband's alleged mistress back in 2011 ... before Shelly suspected anything ... and TMZ Sports has the photo to prove it.

Oprah Winfrey just came out firing at Donald Sterling -- telling TMZ Sports, "We're off the plantation! The plantation days are over!"

The Big O just broke her silence on the Sterling situation while leaving CBS in NYC -- and told us the ideal resolution would be for Magic Johnson to take over the Clips ... "That would be really cool."

But despite the impact of the Sterling story -- and the fact President Obama even weighed in -- Oprah says it's not the biggest story of her lifetime ... that distinction goes to ANOTHER big case involving a huge sports star.

Two NBA lawyers left the law firm representing V. Stiviano Monday ... and sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ Sports ... the lawyers are now convinced -- the racist audio of Donald Sterling is REAL.

NBA lawyer David Anders and another NBA lawyer went to the law office of Mac Nehoray Monday afternoon. Stiviano was also there for the purpose of authenticating the audio.

We're told there was NO doubt by anyone the recording is the real deal. The NBA lawyers heard the 15 minutes that have been made public, but not the remaining 45. And we're told ... based on conversations along with analysis ... they're satisfied about authenticity.

Neither Stiviano nor Anders had comments for our photog as they left the building.

TMZ Sports has also learned ... people who have heard the entire recording say there is "NO DOUBT" Donald Sterling KNEW he was being recorded.