Corey Maggette says he never experienced racism from Donald Sterling: "My checks were always on time"
It seems like throughout NBA history, there has never been a shortage of off-the-court drama, and one of the biggest eruptions happened back in 2014. At that time, former Los Angeles Clippers owner and business mogul Donald Sterling became the center of one of the NBA's most notorious scandals when recordings surfaced of his racist remarks toward his then-mistress. After months of legal battles, Sterling was forced to sell the team, was fined, and received a lifetime ban from the NBA.
However, recently, one former player who was a member of the Clippers during the period when Sterling was involved with the franchise claims that he personally never experienced any racial remarks. Quite the opposite, he says that Donald ran the "other team in LA" the same way he ran his businesses, and even though on-court results weren't great, things behind the scenes mostly operated on a positive note.
That doesn't erase what later came to light, nor does it soften the weight of the entire case, but it does offer a different perspective from the man who was once in the thick of it.
"Well, I'mma say this about Donald Sterling. You know, the one thing that I would say, my checks were always on time," Corey Maggette , athletic wing who played in LA for eight seasons, said in his recent appearance on "Basement Talk" podcast. "As far as the race card, I don't know what happened, with, I believe, it was Magic at the time. I've never experienced having an issue with Donald Sterling."
Maggette didn't experience any wrongdoing
Maggette was the 13th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Seattle SuperSonics. Although drafted there, young Corey was traded to the Orlando Magic on draft night, just like many rookies who learn early what the business side really looks like. After a solid rookie year in Florida , another trade came, this time shipping him to California — to the Clippers, who were at that point run under the firm control of Donald Sterling.
The 6'6" wing spent eight very respectable seasons in the City of Angels, establishing himself as a reliable scorer in an era dominated by guys like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson. While the team wasn't thriving in the standings, Corey was a bright spot.
And during that entire stretch, Maggette says he never had a single personal conflict with Sterling. If anything, he even praised him for one thing NBA players value more than almost anything: the check was always on time.
The only behavior Maggette mentioned that could maybe be interpreted as questionable was Sterling occasionally entering the locker room after games with his entourage, referring to players with a "Look at my guys" tone. But even then, Corey stressed it's a borderline example.
A different view on this issue
Sterling began his professional life as a divorce and personal injury attorney, but the real fortune came through real estate. Money wasn't a problem, and like many wealthy businessmen of that era, the NBA became his next playground. He purchased the San Diego Clippers in May of 1981, later brought them to Los Angeles , and ran the franchise for over three decades. Even though the results, as mentioned above, were nothing to write home about. Maggette still gave him credit where he felt it was due.
"But overall, I would say that I never had a problem. Me, personally, I never had a problem with Donald… He was very smart from a business standpoint, on how he did it. He utilized a lot of his relationships of…" Corey concluded.
Sterling's rule over the Clippers still sits in NBA memory as one of the league's darkest ownership chapters. That part is undeniable. And Maggette's story isn't a defense; rather, it is a different angle from a player who is still close to the hearts of every Clipper fan in the early 2000s.
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This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
