Magic Johnson: I'll Pray for Sterling

He also defends his work in the black community
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 13, 2014 4:37 PM CDT
Magic Johnson: I'll Pray for Sterling
Magic Johnson smiles while speaking to members of the media April 29, 2014, in Saginaw, Mich.   (AP Photo/The Saginaw News, Neil Barris)

After Clippers owner Donald Sterling went on CNN last night and seemingly made things even worse for himself by going after Magic Johnson, the former basketball star doesn't sound much interested in returning fire. "I'm a God-fearing man and I'm going to pray for him and hope things work out for him," Johnson tells Anderson Cooper. He made similar remarks to TMZ, saying, "We just got to pray for him." Johnson did, however, take issue with Sterling's claim that the ex-athlete hasn't done much for the black community.

"My whole life is devoted to urban America," he said. "So, you know I just wish he knew the facts when he's talking." He referred to Sterling as "a man who's upset and he's reaching." Sterling's estranged wife, Rochelle, meanwhile, continues her campaign to keep her ownership stake in the team if her husband gets pushed out. "I didn’t do anything wrong," she tells the New York Times. "Why should I suffer and lose my team?" At another point in the interview, she is asked to assess his mental state: "I’ve been saying for the last year or so that he forgets things. He forgets people’s names, people he’s worked with for 20 years. I don’t know much about dementia, but it seems like his forgetting names, his forgetting things—he has different types of moods." (More Donald Sterling stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X