The woman who brought down Donald Sterling cryptically taunted the despised NBA owner — saying “let the games” begin — days before his racist rants became public.
Sterling revoked gal pal V. Stiviano’s tickets, parking passes and luxury suite access to Los Angeles Clippers games in April, possibly touching off a crazy chain of events that ended with him losing his high-flying basketball franchise, according to the LA Times.
Shelly Sterling — the owner’s estranged wife — filed a lawsuit against Stivano in March, demanding she return a laundry list of expensive gifts that Donald Sterling had given her.
Six days after that lawsuit was filed, Donald Sterling cut off Stiviano from Clippers games. When a team employee reached out to Stiviano, she texted a seemingly enigmatic response.
“No tell Mr. Sterling that I don’t need anything nor do I want anything,” she reportedly texted. “But thanks for asking. LET THE GAMES BEGAN.”