Clippers Owner: Oprah Winfrey, Matt Damon, Magic Johnson, Diddy And Others Interested Buying The NBA Team?

Ever since NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced that he would try to force Donald Sterling to sell the Los Angeles Clippers, several celebrities have expressed an interest in buying the team. Actors, athletes, rappers and television personalities been mentioned as potential owners.

It’s no guarantee that Sterling will lose control of the team. Even if Silver gets the required 75 percent of votes from the rest of the league’s owners, there’s a chance the 80-year-old will challenge the ruling.

Following Sterling’s racist rant, some celebrities are actually interested in purchasing the Clippers, but others are simply taking advantage of the publicity.

Below are some of the most famous people that have been linked to the potential sale of the NBA franchise.

Oprah Winfrey

According to ESPN’s Jeremy Schaap, the TV personality will try to buy the Clippers, assuming Sterling is forced to sell the team. The report states that Winfrey plans to put a bid together with David Geffen and Larry Ellison. Geffen told Schaap that Winfrey wouldn’t be involved in the day-to-day decisions of the team, but she likes the idea of an important black American owning an NBA franchise.

Magic Johnson

Of all the potential celebrity owners, the former Lakers star might have the most realistic chance of buying the Clippers. Prior to Sterling’s lifetime ban, Johnson said he was not trying to purchase the team. However, multiple reports claim that Johnson has interest in replacing Sterling. In 2012, he led a group that purchased the L.A. Dodgers, and he could do the same for another Los Angeles franchise that is in need of an owner.

Matt Damon

The actor doesn’t have enough money to buy the Clippers, but told CNBC that he would look into becoming a minority investor. Damon said he hasn’t had serious talks about becoming involved in the sale of the NBA team, but he might be interested in joining a potential group led by Magic Johnson.

Diddy

A few rappers have made it known that they would like to be involved in the Clippers’ new ownership. After Rick Ross tweeted that he’d be interested in investing in the team, Diddy took to Twitter and showed an interest in buying the club. While the hip-hop mogul might not be serious about purchasing the team, he’s one of the few celebrities that might have the money to do so. According to Forbes, Diddy is worth $700 million.

Floyd Mayweather

For the past few years, the boxer has been named the highest-paid athlete in professional sports. Now, he says he might use that money towards purchasing the Clippers. Mayweather frequents Clippers’ games and said his interest in buying the team isn’t “just talk.” He mentioned forming a group with other wealthy investors.