Donald Sterling Brings Up Magic Johnson Getting HIV, NBA Slams "Malicious" Attack

Meanwhile, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver slams the Clippers owner "malicious" attack on the Hall-of-Famer

By Bruna Nessif May 13, 2014 3:24 AMTags

One minute Donald Sterling is apologizing, and the next minute he's slamming Magic Johnson yet again.

Nearly two weeks after the NBA fined him and banned him for life after he made racist remarks in a recorded conversation, the former Clippers owner taped an interview for CNN's AC360 which aired tonight, and you'd think Sterling would try to wipe his slate clean, but nope. He just made it worse.

"I'm not a racist," Donald told Anderson Cooper, in what seemed to be a good start to the interview. "I made a terrible mistake. I'm here to apologize."

And he did. Referring to Johnson, Sterling said, "If I said anything wrong, I'm sorry," Donald said. "He's a good person. I mean, what am I going to say?"

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images/Charles Norfleet/Getty Images

But then, things went downhill quickly.

Although Sterling said Johnson's role in the scandal is "irrelevant," he began to question the NBA Hall-of-Famer's character during the interview, telling CNN, "Well, what kind of a guy goes to every city, has sex with every girl, then he catches HIV? Is that someone we want to respect and tell our kids about?" Sterling asked.

"I think he should be ashamed of himself. I think he should go into the background. But what does he do for the black people? He doesn't do anything." Oui vey.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released the following statement in regards to Sterling's interview: "I just read a transcript of Donald Sterling's interview with Anderson Cooper and while Magic Johnson doesn't need me to, I feel compelled on behalf of the NBA family to apologize to him that he continues to be dragged into this situation and be degraded by such a malicious and personal attack. The NBA Board of Governors is continuing with its process to remove Mr. Sterling as expeditiously as possible."

And while Sterling insisted that he's "not a racist," the Clippers owner continued to speak ill of African-Americans.

"That's one problem I have. Jews when they get successful they will help their people and some of the African-Americans—maybe I'll get in trouble again—they don't want to help anybody," he said.

Sigh. Maybe he didn't realize this was being recorded?