Donald Sterling Net Worth $4.3 Billion Fortune 2025, All about NBA Owner Wealth and Assets
Donald T. Sterling is an American attorney and businessman best known for owning the San Diego Los Angeles Clippers from 1981 to 2014.In April 2014, Sterling was banned from the NBA for life and fined $2.5 million after recordings of him making racist remarks surfaced.
Meenu Rapria 
The controversy led to him being forced to sell the Clippers, marking the end of his decades-long tenure as an NBA owner.The backlash was immediate, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver responded with harsh penalties.
Donald Sterling Early Life and Education
Donald Tokowitz, better known as Donald T. Sterling, was born on April 26, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois, to Jewish immigrant parents, Susan and Mickey Tokowitz. When he was just two years old, his family moved to Los Angeles, where he grew up in Boyle Heights.
He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School, graduating in 1952. During his school years, he was active in gymnastics and even served as class president. He then studied at California State University, Los Angeles, graduating in 1956, before moving on to Southwestern University School of Law, where he earned his degree in 1960.In 1959, Donald and his wife, Shelly, decided to change their last name from Tokowitz to Sterling. They believed it would be easier to pronounce and could offer financial advantages.
Donald Sterling Donald Sterling Net Worth
As of February 2025, Donald Sterling net worth is estimated at $4.3 billion.Donald Sterling, once a lawyer, made his fortune in real estate and became one of the wealthiest figures in Los Angeles.
| Name | Donald Sterling |
|---|---|
| Net Worth (2025) | $4.3 billion |
| Primary Income Source | Real estate investments |
| Real Estate Holdings | Numerous apartment buildings in Los Angeles, including properties in Westside and Koreatown |
| Notable Properties | Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel |
| Sports Investment | Purchased the San Diego Clippers in 1981 for $12.5 million; moved them to Los Angeles |
| Major Sale | Sold the Clippers to Steve Ballmer in 2014 for $2 billion |
| Current Status | Focused on real estate, maintaining a low public profile |
Donald Sterling Wealth Source and Assets
Most of Sterling’s wealth comes from his vast real estate portfolio, which includes numerous apartment buildings in prime LA neighborhoods like the Westside and Koreatown, as well as the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel.In 1981, he ventured into sports by purchasing the San Diego Clippers for $12.5 million and later moved the team to Los Angeles.
However, after a controversy in 2014, he sold the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for a record-breaking $2 billion.Since then, Sterling has kept a lower profile, but his real estate empire continues to grow, securing his place among the richest individuals in the country.
Donald Sterling Real Estate Career
In 1961, Donald Sterling began his career as a divorce and personal injury attorney, running his own independent practice. However, his biggest success came in real estate, starting with the purchase of a 26-unit apartment building in Beverly Hills.
Throughout the 1960s, he expanded his property empire, making key acquisitions such as: Lesser Towers in Westwood, which he renamed Sterling Towers (now known as Sterling International Towers) and California Bank Building on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills, which he leased in 1976 and renamed Sterling Plaza.
The Sterling Plaza building, an Art Deco landmark built in 1930 by MGM cofounder Louis B. Mayer, became a controversial part of his portfolio. According to a 2000 Sports Illustrated report by Franz Lidz, Sterling had signed a 99-year lease with the Mayer estate that required him to pay only a small annual fee and 15% of any rental income.
Since he remained the sole tenant, the estate was left with virtually no income for decades, leading to speculation that Sterling was waiting for a fire sale opportunity.By April 2014, Sterling’s real estate empire had grown to include 162 properties across Los Angeles.
Donald Sterling and the Clippers
Donald Sterling’s journey into NBA ownership was intertwined with that of Jerry Buss, the man who would go on to transform the Los Angeles Lakers into one of the league’s most dominant franchises. In 1979, Buss used part of the $2.7 million he made from selling apartment buildings to Sterling to cover the remaining cost of purchasing the Lakers, the Kings (NHL team), and The Forum from Jack Kent Cooke for $67 million.
Two years later, Buss suggested that Sterling buy his own team, which led to Sterling purchasing the San Diego Clippers for $12.5 million in 1981.At his introductory press conference, Sterling promised to spend "unlimited sums" to build the Clippers into a championship contender.
Sterling’s NBA Fines, Lawsuits, and Controversies
Sterling’s ownership wasn’t just defined by losing on the court, but also by legal battles and league conflicts.In 1982, he was fined $10,000 then the largest fine ever for an NBA owner—for openly stating he would tank the season to draft Ralph Sampson.
That same year, he tried to move the Clippers to L.A., prompting the NBA to investigate his ownership. A six-owner committee recommended terminating his ownership, citing late payments to creditors and players. Facing removal, Sterling initially agreed to sell the team but later backtracked after legal maneuvering.
In 1984, he moved the Clippers to L.A. without league approval, leading to a $25 million fine from the NBA. Sterling sued the league for $100 million, only to drop the lawsuit when the fine was reduced to $6 million.
He faced multiple lawsuits from former Clippers coaches, including Bill Fitch, Bob Weiss, and Mike Dunleavy Sr., over unpaid salaries. An arbitrator ruled in 2011 that the Clippers owed Dunleavy $13 million.
Racist Controversy & Lifetime Ban
Sterling’s ownership came to a shocking end in April 2014, when a recording surfaced of him making racist remarks to his mistress, V. Stiviano. The backlash was immediate, and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver responded with harsh penalties.
