here is abc's ryan smith. >> are you a racist mr. sterling? >> of course not. >> reporter: one of his only defenders. >> are you a racist? >> forget it, it is not true. >> shelley sterling, wife of billionaire donald sterling whose rants caught on tape shocked america. >> if you want to broadcast that you are associating with black people. >> reporter: and may have cost him the thing he loved the most. >> i am banning mr. sterling for life. >> reporter: today court documents reveal mr. sterling isn't the only accused racist in the family. this from one of their tenants. i asked her would you reduce the rent. and she said, who do you think you are, you black -- in court motions for a lawsuit, tenants and employees describe mrs. sterling as making offensive comments as she entered their apartments. mrs. sterling denies the allegation. a property manager said mrs. sterling commented that hispanic tenants were filthy. >> in sworn testimony, sterling would say, black people stunk attracted vermin, and mexicans sat around and drank all way. it was o

smith for "nightline" in new york. >> our thanks to ryan. he'll have the latest on the case first thing in the morning on "good morning america." coming up next here on "nightline," the sweethearts on dancing with the stars. her incredible story inspired millions. so how did it go tonight for her? >> announcer: abc news "nightline" brought to you by macy's. but sometimes, i still struggled to get going, even get through the day. so i was honest with my doctor. i told him i'd been feeling stuck for a long time. he said that for some people, an antidepressant alone only helps so much and suggested we add abilify (aripiprazole). he said that by taking both, some people had symptom improvement as early as 1 to 2 weeks. i wish i'd talked to my doctor sooner. [ female announcer ] abilify is not for everyone. call your doctor if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens and young adults. elderly dementia patients taking abilify have an increased ris

here is abc's ryan smith. >> you think i'm a race snis you think you think i have anything but love for everybody. >> reporter: that is donald sterling last week banned by the nba after a racist tirade went public and rocked the nation. >> no justice! >> you don't think that. you know i am not a racist. >> reporter: in a recorded phone call posted today by radaronline, sterling spekdz on racism allegations for the first time and explaining why he is tolerant. >> what about when i hear the tape, the tape i heard. >> i grew up in east l.a. east l.a. you die to got out of there the i got out of east l.a. i was the president of the high school there. i mean, and i am a jew. and 50% of the people there were black. and 40% were hispanic. >> reporter: in the call sterling is questioned by an unidentified friend. >> how can you be in business and be a racist? do you think i tell the coach to get white players? or get the best player he can get? >> reporter: some have said the conversation sound less than natural calling into question the validity of the recording. of course, sterling is much be

>> ryan smith, thank you. >>> overseas this evening and to the crisis in ukraine. the city of odessa is a center of turmoil. the scene of a deadly new front. just two days after dozens were killed in a fire there, this was the scene outside the police station. the pro-russian act vitss using everything, their foot there, just the beginning as they broke into the station. terry moran is in odessa for us tonight. >> reporter: good evening, david. a country on the edge of civil war. this place has become a shrine. the candles, the flowers. dozens of people trapped inside this building, burned alive in a horrible clash a couple of days ago. shocked the whole country. they're the latest martyrs in the conflict that threatens to drag the u.s. in deeper and deeper every single day. at the police headquarters here in odessa today, pro-russian demonstrators stormed the building. their goal? to free their comrades being held inside. armed with sticks, smoke bombs, and rage, they got in. broke windows, pounded the door, pried open a lock. ukrainian police offered little resis

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >>> now some news for you and the music you love. the company that revolutionized our lives with the ipod, apple, on the hunt for the next big thing. reportedly about to spend about $3 billion. to keep from falling behind in the way we access the music we love. and a famous name may be about to cash in. here's paula faris. >> reporter: for a company that's always marched to the beat of it's own drum, apple dropping an unexpected tune. ♪ reportedly in negotiations to buy the company beats electronics, which was founded by hip-hop artist dr. dre, and famed music producer jimmy iovine, for a reported $3.2 billion. beats, best known for those headphones worn by celebrities like lebron james, katy perry, and justin bieber, recently got into the lucrative streaming music business. streaming services like pandora and spotify allow users to listen to whatever they want, whenever they want. beats charges $10 for a monthly subscription. which industry experts say could be what lured apple. it's an area that apple's late ceo steve jobs didn't

i'm gonna pray for him and hope things work out for him. >> reporter: ryan smith, abc news, new york. >>> now we want to show you a day-long drama for abc friends in baltimore. the frightening moments caught on camera. new video shows a man described as mentally ill ramming a truck through the front of wmar tv. witnesses say he claimed to be god. he barricaded himself inside the station for hours. all the employees escaped unharmed. police moved in with an armored vehicle and used a robot to help search the building. the man was arrested in an edit room watching tv coverage of the scene. >>> overseas u.s. surveillance aircraft are finally in the skies joining the hunt for the hundreds of missing school girls peer ing down on a stretch of land the size of new england. abc's hamish macdonald is back on the story tonight. >> reporter: u.s. forces are peering down tonight from surveillance craft, like this. scouring a remote and rugged area the size of new england, in search of the missing girls. the plane is equipped with powerful cameras that give real time images of the ground as far a

abc's ryan smith walks us through these new tapes. >> reporter: this is l.a. clippers owner donald sterling playing defense. >> you think i have anything in the world but love for everybody? you don't think that. you know i'm not a racist. >> reporter: his first comments since that racist rant that earned him a life-time ban from the nba. >> it bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people are in this new tape a recorded phone call leaked to online. sterling points to his background, even his religion as proof he's not prejudice. >> i got out of east l.a. and i was the president of the high school there. i mean, i'm a jew and 50% of the people there were black and 40% were hispanic. >> reporter: sterling telling his friend there's no way race clouds his judgment. >> how could you be in this business and be a racist? do you think i tell the coach to get white players? or get the best player he can get? >> reporter: sterling makes one thing clear. he's not giving up his team without a fight. >> you can't force someone to s

." >> abc's ryan smith has what cuban said and what he is and is not apologizing for. >> reporter: mark cuban, causing a stir. >> we are all prejudice in one way or the other. >> reporter: with cameras rolling, during an exclusive conversation with "ink" magazine, the dallas mavericks owner speaks his mind. >> if i see a black kid in a hoodie and it's late at night, i'm walking to the other side of the street. if on that side of the street, there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face, a white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere, i'm walking back to the other side of the street. >> reporter: the outspoken billionaire, making these comments at a sensitive time for the nba. in the wake of donald sterling's infamous racist rant, earning him a lifetime ban. cuban's comments going viral, especially on twitter, where some called him a racist. but many, including a lot of pundits, came to his defense. >> i want to emphasize, that i have absolutely positively no problem whatsoever with what mark cuban had to say. zero. >> reporter: after referencing, quote, a black kid in a hoodie, cuban apo

ryan smith, abc news, los angeles. >>> tonight we have new insight into a question we are all asking, a top u.s. speed skating official is shedding light on the sochi olympics by team usa. the speed skaters. is it possible their skates, their uniforms were partly to blame for not bringing home the gold? abc's matt gutman with the new developments tonight. >> reporter: tonight a top skating official turns whispers that these high-tech suits may have slowed american speed skaters at the winter games into a call for change. after weeks of consultations, the u.s. speed skating team and other experts fingered under armour so-called mock 39 skin as one of several culprits that kept the u.s. off the medal podium the first time in 30 years. but when johnny davis flopped, the focus was on the suits. new is the vent in the back with these holes to keep the athletes cool. watch davis as he skates. air is flowing over his body. the suit's job is to minimize how much that slows him down. the concern was that air seeped into those vents possibly causing a tiny balloon in the suit and creating an ex

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >>> and all day long a nation has been remembering a force of nature. an american original. maya angelou died at the age of 86. she would have written, a phenomenal woman. the people's poet and her life a kind of blue print for rising up in the face of the impossible. abc's byron pitts looks back. >>. ♪ there is no hiding place down here ♪ >> reporter: most of us hope to live one good life. maya angelou lived many. >>. ♪ i went to the rocks to hide my face, and the rock cried out no hiding place ♪ . >> reporter: with that tenor's voice -- her gift for words -- >> the horizon leans forward offering you space to place new steps of change. >> reporter: she brought chills to a nation at president clinton's inauguration in '93. >> ms. calypso herself maya angelou. >> reporter: she brought audiences to their feet with her voice as the calypso singer. she spoke six languages. won three grammys, author of 36 books. it was her best seller. in 1969. an instant classic. i know why the cage bird sings. that made her not just a voice for black america but al

i'm ryan smith, in for john muller. >> and i'm diana perez. it is a day of mourning on the university of california campus at santa barbara. one of the shooting victims, veronica weiss, was remembered last night at the high school where she played water polo just last year. >> classes were canceled at ucsb so the students could attend a memorial service for all of the victims. and abc's tahman bradley is tracking the latest developments. >> reporter: as campuses across california pay tribute to the victims, this morning, we're learning chilling, new details about elliot rodger's elaborate plot to kill, laid out in a 137-page manifesto and online videos. >> girls are not sexually attracted to me. that's a problem that i intend to rectify. >> reporter: 9:17 p.m. friday. rodger's mothers phone rings. a family friend says it was the shooter's therapist, asking if she read the manifesto, called "my twisted world." alarmed, she checks her son's youtube channel. rodger's mother calls her ex-husband, hollywood director peter rodger, they race to santa

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >> thank you, ryan. >>> one more developing story from overseas involving a famous face. reporting tonight that sir paul mccartney had to be hospitalized in tokyo. the 71-year-old battling a viral infection. the rest of his asian tour has now been cancelled. everyone pulling for a quick recovery. >>> much more ahead. the pool scare caught on camera. the children shocked and saved from electrical currents in the water. why this video has a lesson for us as we head into the holiday weekend. >>> later tonight, the man trapped 70 feet under the ice. looking up at his only way of hope. daylight. how did he get out? cheeks don't have to. defy gravity. juvÉderm voluma® is the only fda-approved injectable gel to instantly add volume to your cheek area. as you age, cheeks can lose volume. voluma adds volume creating contour and lift for a more youthful profile. for up to two years. temporary side effects include tenderness, swelling, firmness, lumps, bumps, bruising, pain, redness, discoloration and itching. ask your doctor. juvÉderm voluma®. defy gravity. smoke

abc news reporter, ryan smith is in los angeles. >> the l.a. clippers are suddenly the hottest property in sports. oprah winfrey saying she's "in discussions with music mogul david geffen and larry ellison to make a joint bid for the clippers. just yesterday she told tmz she wasn't interested. >> no, i won't be buying the clippers. but i hear magic johnson might be. >> oh, no. >> magic johnson denies he wants the team. floyd mayweather said he does today. >> me and my team want to buy the clippers. we can afford them. >> before any of that happens, 75% of nba team owners must vote to force disgraced clippers boss donald sterling to sell. today, abc news called all 29 team owners to ask how they would vote. they all told us the nba asked them to stay silent. only one of them of the sacramento kings said he would vote to oust sterling. >> these teams really belong to the fans and to the players. we owners are simply custodians. so i fully expect that commissioner silver will get the support that he seeks. >> leebron james turned up the pressure o

ryan smith with the new tapes. >> this is l.a. clippers owner donald sterling. playing defense. >> you think i have anything in the world but love for everybody? you don't think that? you know i'm not a racist. >>reporter: first extended comment since the infamous racist rant to v stiviano earned him a life time ban from the fba. >> you you broadcast that you are associate with black people. >>reporter: in this new tape a recorded phone call with unnamed friend leaked to radar on line sterling points to his background. even his relimping as proof he's not prejudiced. >> i got out of east l.a. i was the president of the high school there. i mean, i'm a jew. 50% of the people there were black and 40 percent were hispanic. >>reporter: sterling telling his friend there's no way race clouds his judgment. >> how can you be in this business and be a racist? do you think i tell the coach to get white players? or get the best player he can get? >>reporter: sterling makes one thing clear he's not giving up his team without a fight. >> you can't force someone to sell prope

here's ryan smith. >>reporter: mark cuban causing a sister. we were all prejudice in one way or the other. >>reporter: with camera rolling during exclusive conversation with ivrping magazine the owner speaks his mind. >> if i see a black kid in a hoodie late at nature i'm walking to the other side of the street. if on that side of the street there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face, white guy, bald head tattoo everywhere, i'm walking back to the other side of the street. >>reporter: out spoken billionaire making these comments at a sensitive time for the nba. in the wake of donald sterling infamous racist rant earning him a life time ban. he had called sterling comments quote abhorrent but as fellow team owner he has not said how he will vote on sterling punishment. adding. >> treating anybody differently for race religion or any other reason is wrong. but that doesn't mean you are not going to have those thoughts from time to time. right. we all succumb to the thought. that make mace hypocrite in some respect by trying to hold somebod

here's abc's ryan smith. >> reporter: they used to say behind every powerful man was a woman. for donald sterling, whose racist rants caught on tape shocked a nation, there appears to have been more than one. there is his wife of 50 years, shelley. >> are you a racist, mr. sterling? >> no, of course not! of course not! >> the tape speaks for itself. >> reporter: and he is alleged mistress, v. stiviano, seen here getting into the red ferrari convertible that sterling apparently bought for her. and the other "other woman," whose picture is seen here widely for the first time, alexandra castro. she claims she and sterling were together for several years, but the relationship ended in court, fighting other the house she says sterling gave her. he says he was just letting her live there temporarily. castro's attorney at first denied being involved with her. >> he claimed in his first depositions that he had no personal relationship with alexandra. >> reporter: so she came forward with these photos and letters as proof of their relationship. >> and then i began showing him photograp

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >>> all right. on the court and ice it was one of those saturday night fever nights for stayin' alive. first up, the indiana pacers facing elimination in their series against the heat. paul george had a 37-point effort leading indiana to at 93-90 victory. the heat still lead the series, 3-2. >>> the defending stanley cup champion blackhawks staved off elimination last night they have went to double overtime. the kings lead the series, 3-2. the kings can wrap it up tomorrow in l.a. tonight the canadiens and rangers play game six in their series. >>> tiger woods made it official his back will keep him out of next month's u.s. open. he said he is physically unable to play at a high level. in fact, last week he said he still hasn't taken a full swing with the club. and here's an athlete to watch. 18-year-old taylor townsend. she's in the third round of the french open after defeating a player ranked much higher than she is. this is her first grand slam tournament and she lasted longer than the williams

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >> like 1978. >> you have to love this horse. in terms of the blood lines of these horses they are all super duper. >> not this one. >> this is the flunky of the group. >> you know what, he's there. look at -- >> he's beating everybody. he is beating all the blue bloods. >> that's right. >> by thoroughbred standards, he is low born but kicking butt. >> i can't wait. >> got to love it. >> announcer: this is abc's "world news now," informing insomniacs for two decades. but the truth is: there's so much in life we can't control. here's something we can: colorectal cancer. it's the second leading cancer killer in the u.s., but it is almost entirely preventable! most colon cancers start as polyps, and screening finds polyps, so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. if you're over 50, get screened. screening saves lives. it could really save your life. >>> good morning. i'm diana perez. >> i'm john muller. here are some of the top headlines we are following on "world news now." the chinese government is angrily denying it e

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >> i want to hear more about the electro shock thing. what in the world was that? you get shocked while you're doing all that? it's not hard enough? >> why do people do this? the cdc says that these types of competitions take place in farmland, so you're exposed to fecally contaminated water. they call that slurry. potentially serious diseases can result if you ingest it. >> i think maybe the treadmill is the way to go. >> with your ipod. huh? >> exactly. >>> coming, bikini baristas. >> oh, the steamy place where coffee isn't the only hot thing on the menu. >>> and ahead, don't try this at home. why an actress says clay is one of the best ♪ >>> black coffee with cream or sugar? there's one place where you can get a side of eye candy with your morning joe. >> this is a real eye opener. there's some hot competition for coffee sales. so one coffee stand is giving customers a little extra. here's neal karlinsky. >> reporter: in spokane, washington, there's two kinds of coffee. hot and, well -- >> hi. >> reporter: choose your cliches. this

ryan smith has been covering the case. >> he can argue in the courts, hey, thirp arbitrary and capricious in the way they assessed this fine. >> reporter: but the nba will argue when sterling bought the franchise, he agreed to follow the nba justice. while the clippers lost to thunder, the players set the drama surrounding that you are owner was no distraction. >> i don't think about that. like that is the least of our worries right now. >> reporter: some prominent players have said if sterling is not ousted, they will boycott next season. >>> well, it happens to all of us. we're home getting dinner started and the phone rings. a telemarketer. tonight at 11:00, a telemarketer shares her secrets with michael finney. she gives insider information on how to get the dreaded calls to stop. >> if you're really not interested in something, here's how to get rid of someone effectively and i use the tips myself. >> the rules you need to follow to end all that aggravation. we tried it and it worked. join us tonight at 11:00. >> after the break, we'll talk about the heat wave and now we have a cool

ryan smith, abc news, los angeles. >>> we will continue to bring you all the developments in the sterling controversy and to see barbara walters exclusive interview in its entirety go to our website, abc 7 news dotcom. >>> still ahead at 9:00, google's eyewear device called glass cost $1,500 to purchase. a report that takes us inside the divide. >>> and we'll show you the life-changing surprise for a california teen who was born with one leg. >>> and good evening. i'm in the accuweather center. a lot cooler and breezy. i'll let you now how long that trend continues as we look towards the west with incruising closed overnight. >>> if you're out on the town tonight you 345i see an unusually number of people wearing google glass. tonight is glass night out. over the country glass explorers as they're called team up with local businesses to help introduce people to the high-tech glasses dispel that they're elittest or snobby. the perception exists in part because the device cost $1,500. however a new report looking at what's inside found there's only about $80 worth of assembled components. a

i'm ryan smith in for john muller. >> i'm diana perez. i know you have already done the show once but i'm so excited to welcome you in a second time and the first time we are doing it together. >> i know. it's an honor. i have been waiting for this day. >> this day your whole life. >> exactly. >> abc keeps you busy. you live in new york but you have been in l.a. do thing the donald sterling story. >> covering that. >> how is the sleep schedule going. >> newborn twins 5-month-old so sleep is not an option. but maybe in a couple of years, 2030, who knows. >> it will come eventually. let's get started. we begin in california a memorial service is planned for this afternoon on the ucsb campus for the six students killed friday night. >> classes are cancelled but faculty and staff will be there to offer support to those who need it. meanwhile, a service for veronica weiss was held at westlake high school. she graduated last year. her brother is trying to make sense of it all. >> you can't analyze look in this guy's mind or you'll go crazy. he

so here's abc's ryan smith. >> reporter: los angeles clippers owner, donald sistterl, making is bold move. according to espn, sterling is signing over the control of the franchise to his estranged wife, shelly, who is now in talks with the nba, about selling the team. a bizarre about-face from the embattled owner who weeks ago said this. >> you can't force someone to sell property in america. >> reporter: even his lawyers vowed to fight the nba, one week ago, refusing to pay the league's $2.5 million fine and promising to fight attempts to force a sale, saying in a letter to the nba, quote, no punishment is warranted. sterling's latest move has players and pundits talking. >> the quicker it gets done, the quicker we can move on. . i think at this point it's about winning in a court of public opinion and trying to salvage his reputation. >> reporter: in an interview with abc's barbara walters shelly sterling said she won't give up her share. >> i think half the team is mine and i'll fight for it. >> reporter: so why seek to sell now? >> i think the sterlings are realizing they're out

here's abc's ryan smith. >> reporter: the l.a. clippers are suddenly the hottest property in sports. oprah winfrey says she is quote in discussions with music mogul david geffen and software billionaire larry ellison to make a joint bid for the clippers. magic johnson denies he wants the team but floyd mayweather says he does. >> me and my team do want to buy the clippers and we can afford the clippers. >> reporter: but before any of that happens, 75% of nba team owners must vote to force disgraced clippers boss donald sterling to sell. abc news called all 29 team owners to ask how they would vote. they all told them the nba asked them to stay silent. only one of the them, vivek ranadive from the sacramento kings, said he would vote to oust sterling. >> these teams really belong to the fans and players. we owners are simply custodians. so i fully expect that commissioner silver will get the support that he seeks. >> reporter: lebron james, basketball's biggest star, turned up the pressure on the owners. >> no matter how long it ta

. >> abc's ryan smith has been following this story from the jump. and he joins us now with the latest. >> reporter: good morning. the nba has accepted shelly sterling's move to sell the clippers to steve ballmer and has canceled a hearing next week to oust donald sterling from ownership. but he's not going quietly. the los angeles clippers, finally sold. overnight, the nba announcing the los angeles clippers will go to former microsoft ceo and billionaire steve ballmer, pending one last approval by the nba board of governors. ahead of the record $2 billion sale, the league calling off tuesday's vote to eject donald sterling. according to the league, shelly sterling also agreeing not to sue the nba and pay back the nba for any suits filed by her estranged husband, donald. and good thing for the nba because mr. sterling's lawyer, maxwell bleacher, says he isn't done fighting. announcing friday, he's suing the nba for $1 billion in damages. >> we have always expected to get a fight from every angle from mr. sterling. and we're getting it. >> reporter:

ryan smith, abc news, los angeles. >> after this nonsense i'm happy for the fans and players. they are suffering through the stuff and nice that they have something to play about. >> sterling was quoted by "lifestyle" magazine saying i wish i had just paid her off in reference to v. stiviano and they were both supposed to sit down with barbara walters and only v. showed up so very interesting stuff. >> there you got it. >> move along. >>> coming up, one of the most coveted tickets the white house correspondents dinner. >> it's when the speechwriters sharpen their pencils for the very best zingers of the year. we're going to hear the very best coming up next. >>> and ahead in the next hour, ben affleck banned from black jack at a vegas casino. what he did that got him tossed. you are watching "world news now." >> announcer: "world news now" contin the apartment building where the fire was. when things like this happen, i think you find a new perspective on life. hi. red cross put us in a hotel so we were able to stay together. we're strong and, if we overcame that or if we can

abc's ryan smith is outside the staples center. ryan? >> reporter: good evening, david. tonight one of the biggest games in los angeles clippers history as they face a winner take all game seven against the golden state warriors with a chance to go to the western conference semifinals on the line. while the team is rolling on the court, off the court there's intense response to barbara walters' interview with v. stiviano. tonight reaction pouring in, on twitter and facebook, comments ranging from critical to come cat. v. stiviano, completely confused and in over your head, and, this silly rabbit isn't the brightest crayola in the box. many questioning her motives and intentions, leaving experts to wonder what she accomplished. >> we got to see the human being. until now she's been a caricature around in a weird visor. >> reporter: questions remain what he will say if he speaks. >> i think what's really important is that he own it. i don't think he's ever going to be beloved but he might not be loathed quite as much. >> reporter: with sterling offering only one statement

ryan smith is back on the story tonight. >> reporter: the los angeles clippers today. felt feeling the sting of being out of the playoffs. their embattled owner now threatening to sue the nba to keep the team. >> i think i've prepared for somewhat of a messy summer. >> reporter: donald sterling's new lawyer now firing off a letter to the nba, saying according to si.com, "we reject your demand for payment" of the league's $2.5 million fine, adding "no punishment is warranted for sterling's racist tirade" and ominously ending by stating the controversy "will be adjudicated." this defiance, a flip-flop from sterling, who sounded contrite in a cnn interview this week, saying he'd abide by whatever the nba owners decide. >> i love them and i respect them and whatever their decision is with regard to the disposition of my terrible words then i have to do it, i think. >> reporter: no comment from the nba but sterling's broadside could just be the beginning. how long could this go on? >> they know it could drag out a while. >> reporter: meaning the sterling saga is not over. >

ryan smith has the story. >> reporter: billionaire los angeles clippers owner donald sterling, today signing over control of the team to his wife who is now in talks with the nba to sell the franchise. shelly sterling, a fixture at every clippers game since the scandal broke, hinted at this very solution in an interview with our barbara walters. >> well, some say that there's a possibility that he could legally transfer full ownership of the clippers to you. is that something you would encourage? >> i would love to. yes, i would love him to. >> reporter: earlier this week, the nba launched formal proceedings to force donald sterling to sell the team. today they say that's still on track. but commissioner adam silver has hinted he'd prefer a compromise. >> i'm sure if he wanted to sell the team on some reasonable timetable, i'd prefer he sell it than we go through this process. >> reporter: and today basketball's top star saying it's very important that the issue be resolved soon. >> we don't want this lingering around our sport. so the quicker it gets done, the quicker we can move on

abc's ryan smith has all the fast breaking details tonight. >> reporter: the l.a. clippers are suddenly the hottest property in sports. oprah winfrey saying today she's "in discussions" with music mogul david geffen and software billionaire larry ellison to make a joint bid for the clippers. just yesterday she told tmz she wasn't interested. >> no, i won't be buying the clippers but i hear magic johnson might be. >> reporter: johnson denies he wants the team but today championship boxer floyd mayweather said he does. >> me and my team do want to buy the clippers. we can afford the clippers. >> reporter: but before any of that happens, 75% of nba team owners must vote to force disgraced clippers boss donald sterling to sell. today abc news called all 29 team owners to ask how they would vote. they all told us the nba asked them to stay silent. only one, vivek ran-a-dive of the sacramento kings said he would vote to oust sterling. >> these teams belong to fans and players. we owners are simply custodians and so i fully expect that commissioner silver will gt the supp

ryan smith on it again tonight for us. >> reporter: shelley sterling is vowing to fight for her ownership stake by any means necessary. >> if anybody tries to take away her ownership without her consent, she will do everything in her power, and i will, too, to protect her property right. >> reporter: friday the nba appointed dick parsons as team ceo but sdiet a new day to day leader shelley still claims 50% ownership in her team and according to her lawyer isn't giving it up. as for her husband, in a release by radar online and confirmed to abc news as lit jat, the owner admits fault. >> i know what i said was wrong, but i never thought a private conversation would go anywhere. >> reporter: says jealousy fueled the rant. >> i didn't want her to bring anybody to my games because i was jealous. i mean, i'm being honest. >> reporter: and just like his wife shelley, when it comes to his team, he's not going quietly. >> you can't force someone to sell property in america. >> reporter: dick parsons, the new ceo, says he hasn't met with shelley but he intends to do say saying, quote, she has an

here's abc's ryan smith. >> reporter: the los angeles clippers facing their biggest challenge yet, a seven-game matchup against the nba's number one team, the oklahoma city thunder. nba officials meet again this week to determine how team owners can vote out disgraced clippers owner sterling. beloved coach doc rivers speaking out with espn revealing for the first time his players reaction to sterling's racist rants. >> when i walked in that room and looked at their faces, it was bothering them, they were angry. and they wanted to do something. >> reporter: sterling remains in seclusion tonight. still making the most waves, sterling's one-time companion, v. stiviano who opened up to barbara walters. >> is donald sterling a racist? >> no, i don't believe it in my heart. >> explaining her relationship with the embattled owner. >> i'm his everything. i'm his confidante. i'm his best friend. his silly rabbit. >> his what? >> his silly rabbit. >> his silly rabbit? >> yes. >> is that what he calls you? >> no. i call myself that. i joke around and make him laugh. >> reporter: stiviano descri

ryan smith on this again tonight. >> reporter: the deal is done, but is it a done deal? the team will be sold to billionaire steve ballmer pending league approval. saying the sterlings resolved their dispute with donald sterling's wife, shelly. paid back the league for any suits from donald sterling who today announced he is suing the nba for $1 billion in damages. this after ballmer signed an agreement with shelly steriling to pay a whopping $2 bhl billion for the los angeles clippers. the largest sell in nba history. how was she able to sell the team when donald sterling refused to budge? a source tells abc news that donald sterling was found to be mentally incapacitated by neurologists this month. since the sterlings own the team in a trust, and the rules of that trust don't require a court to declare mr. sterling incapacitated, his wife shelly became the sole person authorized to sell it. today, another of donald sterling's lawyers telling abc news any assertion that donald sterling lacks mental capacity is absurd. mr. sterling's mental acuity is something shelly ste

ryan smith has the story. >> reporter: today, this cinderella story, heading for history. >> california chrome has won the preakness! >> reporter: the new york racing association clearing the way for california chrome to wear this nasal strip in the belmont stakes, opening the door for him to sweep the triple crown. his owners had hinted he wouldn't race without the strip, similar to what people use at night to breathe easier. without it, the passages in his nose constrict and not enough air gets through when he inhales. but when you apply the strip, watch as his passages open, allowing more oxygen in, fueling his muscles. today, new york changed policy, ruling any horse who wants to wear one can. did the equine nasal strips give a competitive advantage? >> it hasn't been proven that anyone who wears a nasal strip is going to win a race. they've been using them for 15 years. new york was the last track not to allow them. >> reporter: california chrome was never expected to amount to much. he cost his owners just over $10,000. one of his challengers at belmont, intense holiday, cost near

ryan smith has the details. >> the future of their embattled owner, donald sterling, as cloudy as ever. the nba announcing it will appoint a ceo to oversee team day-to-day operations. saying the best way to ensure the stability of the team during this investigation is to move quickly and install a ceo to oversee the organization. the league on mum on who could run the team and when the changes will occur. what is sure is the ceo will take over for this man and the nba is sending a message. >> the league wants to send a message as soon as possible that the sterling family is not running this team. >> meanwhile, sterling in her first statement since her husband's lifetime ban from the team saying, quote, i fully supported his recent swift and decisive action, but reiterated her position as co-owner and said, quote, i am committed to taking the steps to make the clippers the best team in the nba. sterling's assistant advising her former boss to come clean. >> do you think donald sterling should uh -- should apologize? >> absolutely. >> did you discuss this with him? >> yes. >> will he apo

ryan smith has the details. >> the future of their embattled owner, donald sterling, as cloudy as ever. the nba announcing it will appoint a ceo to oversee team day-to-day operations. saying the best way to ensure the stability of the team during this investigation is to move quickly and install a ceo to oversee the organization. the league on mum on who could run the team and when the changes will occur. what is sure is the ceo will take over for this man and the nba is sending a message. >> the league wants to send a message as soon as possible that the sterling family is not running this team. >> meanwhile, sterling in her first statement since her husband's lifetime ban from the team saying, quote, i fully supported his recent swift and decisive action, but reiterated her position as co-owner and said, quote, i am committed to taking the steps to make the clippers the best team in the nba. sterling's assistant advising her former boss to come clean. >> do you think donald sterling should uh -- should apologize? >> absolutely. >> did you discuss this with him? >> yes. >> will he apo

abc's ryan smith is here with the latest. good morning, ryan. >> reporter: good morning, george. this is what we have learned. abc news has confirmed that donald sterling fired off a letter to the nba, through his lawyers, big-time antitrust lawyers, threatening to sue. saying he has done nothing wrong. he's not going to pay the $2.5 million fine assessed by the nba. and the letter reportedly says that the controversy will be, quote, ajaud indicated. and it usually means a lawsuit is coming. >> he is clearly digging in. but the nba has a lot of firepower, too. how are they going to respond? >> reporter: they will respond swiftly and say they did everything by the book. we have the right to do this. we have the right to assess this kind of fine and they have a lot of backup for that. they essentially have this power under the constitution and bylaws. >> sterling signed a contract when he became an owner saying i will abide by the league's system of justice. >> reporter: right. but he can argue in the courts, they were arbitrary and capricious the way they assessed this fine. they

first, let's go to abc's ryan smith, who has been covering this story all week from los angeles. ryan, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan. good morning, bianna. finally, donald sterling and his former companion, v. stiviano, speaking out. opening up a strange and mysterious window into their relationship. los angeles clippers owner, donald sterling and the woman who taped his racist rant, v. stiviano, finally breaking their silence. sterling told "du jour," a magazine that caters to the wealthy, quote, i wish i had just paid her off. in an exclusive interview with abc's barbara walters, stiviano described the embattled owner's state of mind, after speaking with him just minutes earlier. >> i think he feels very alone. tormented. emotionally traumatized. >> reporter: it was a week ago friday, in the middle of the nba playoffs, that the 80-year-old billionaire became what now some call the most hated man in america, because of the release of his hate-filled comments caught on tape by the gossip website tmz. >> it bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you

ryan smith, abc news, new york. >> i'm not sure why he said it at all, right? >> here's the thing, no matter what we say somebody will have a problem with what you say. >> better believe it. >> i happen to think one random guy on tv who they said didn't have a problem with mark cuban doesn't set the bar for everybody should feel about what he said. who cares what one guy says. this is interesting, if you if you acknowledge the internal biases that cause you to think of crossing the street when -- you see a black kid in a hoodie and you you cross the street anyway, then you've made no progress at all. that's very true. essentially that's what mark cuban was saying. he is saying i acknowledge i have these feelings, but i still cross the street. you are the racist as the rest of them. that's what think progress says. >> i don't know what to think. all right. let's go to this tease. >>> coming up, the product that promises to leave you springtime fresh without a hot, soapy shower. >> it is so-called tonic and you will see who's putting it to the smell test. you are

abc's ryan smith has been on this story from the very beginning. >> reporter: good morning, george. big development. the los angeles clippers, abc news learning they've been sold to microsoft billionaire steve ballmer. he was the winning bidder. again, $2 billion. that sale would need to be approved by the nba, who is not commenting at this time. ballmer said he is honored to have his name submitted for nba approval. and that he, quoting with intends to do everything in his power to ensure the clippers continue to win. there could be rough waters ahead. while shelly signed an agreement with ballmer. donald sterling hasn't given his okay to the deal. and one more wrinkle in all of this. and espn is reporting that donald sterling is mentally incapacitated. that could complicate things, george. >> this might complicate things. that might mean that shelly doesn't have the right to sell the team without his approval. >> reporter: that means he wouldn't have the capacity to make an agreement or disavow one. she said she has an agreement with him to be able to sell the team. that should gi

. >> ryan smith abc news new yor york. >> close friend of a bay area soldier killed in afghanistan received nation highest military honor today. the president presented the medal of honor to former army sergeant kyle white. 2007 white fought through enemy fire to save another soldier and evacuate wounded comrade caught in ambush that killed 6 americans in afghanistan. afterward he spoke of piece of medal given to him by one survivor. >> this is maybe even more precious than the medal symbol placed around my neck. . on it are the names of my 6 fallen brothers. they are my hero. >> one of those names is that of 23-year-old para trooper shawn of walnut creek. he and white close friends who just weeks before the ambush vowed to take care of other family. if something should ever happen to either of them. >> well from europe tonight landmark ruling that could affect what pops up when you google someone. highest court today says people have the trite ask google and the other big search engine as well to stop displaying link contain outdated incorrect information about them. man from spain complai

ryan smith has the new twist tonight. >> billionaire los angeles clipper owner donald sterling today signing over control of the team to his wife who is now in talk with the nba to sell the franchise. shelly sterling fixture in ever clippers game since the scandal broke hadn'ted at this solution in an interview with our bar were walters. >> some say there's a possibility that he could legally transfer full ownership of the clippers to you. is that something you would encourage you. >> i would will have to. yes i would love him to. >> earlier this week nba launched formal proceeding to force sterling to sell the team. today they sell it's still on track. but commissioner silver hinted he would previous a compromise. >> i'm sure if he wanted to sell the team. on some reason time table i prefer he sell it and we go through the process. >> today basketball top star saying it's very important that the issue be resolved soon. >> don't want to linger around the sport. >> smith reporting. some estimate the have of the clippers could be as much as 1 billion dollars. >> u.s. coast guard says b

abc's ryan smith is in los angeles with more. good morning, ryan. >> reporter: good morning, bianna. with controversy swirling around donald sterling and his wife giving her first comments about the nba's decision to ban her husband for life, a decisive game seven had clippers fans worried the distractions might derail their team but they rewarded their fans with patience and their loyalty with one of the biggest wins in franchise history. the l.a. clippers, nba's cinderella team. coming through in one of the biggest games in their history. >> the los angeles clippers have won game seven. >> reporter: after a week in the shadows of their owner donald sterling's racist remarks. >> its bothers me a lot that you want to broadcast that you're associating with black people. >> reporter: the team emerging triumphant. >> i just thought with all this stuff, this team just needed this win. >> reporter: before the game, clippers fans on edge, sensing that in this moment, this team's season could come to an end. many still irritated by the

abc's ryan smith is tracking it all from l.a. good morning, ryan. >> reporter: good morning, george. clippers fans out in force. celebrating the team's big win. the team's fortunes are on the rise. the fate of the owner hangs in the balance. [ crowd cheering ] after a week of scandal, a moment of celebration for clippers nation. but now, v. stiviano, the woman at the center of the controversy surrounding clippers owner donald sterling is speaking out in an exclusive interview with barbara walters. >> is donald sterling a racist? >> no. i don't believe it in my heart. >> will he apologize? >> only god knows. >> reporter: sterling had been silent since he was banned from the nba for life this week over his racist remarks caught on tape by stiviano. he broke his silence on friday. telling du jour magazine, quote, i wish i had just paid her off. while sterling's offensive remarks may now cost him his team, his history of alleged racial discrimination is in the spotlight. he was sued in 2006 by the justice department for discriminatio

abc's ryan smith has the details. >> reporter: this is l.a. clippers owner donald sterling playing defense. >> you think i have anything in the world but love for everybody? you don't think that. you know i'm not a racist. >> reporter: his first extended comment since that racist rant to v. stiviano earned him a lifetime ban from the nba. >> it bother mess a lot if you want to broadcast that you are associating with black people. >> reporter: in this new tape a recorded phone call with an unnamed friend, leaked to radar on-line, he points to his background and religion as proof he's not prejudice. >> i got out of east l.a. i was the president of the high school there. i mean, i'm a jew. 50% of the people there were black and 40% were hispanic. >> reporter: sterling telling his friend there's no way race clouds his judgment. >> how can you be in this business and be a racist? do you think i tell the coach to get white players? or to get the best player he can get. >> reporter: sterling makes one thing clear, he's not giving up his team without

>> ryan smith has america's money report. >> topping america's money cheeseburger prices skyrocket skyrocketing, with key ingredients costing 10 percent more, and beef is up 14 percent and cheese and bacon also up. the western drought, disease; strong demand are to blame. >> back to being would on wall street this morning after the long holiday week. indications are that all of three major averages will be opening up. overseas, markets were higher overnight. marvel blockbuster will set a record, and x man earned $111 million. that will be the fifth best memorial day debut in history. 365,000 tons is how much nutella the world consumes. it should be a treat not a daily staple. >>> today, president obama hosts the annual white house science fair designed to improve education. he announced a $35 million program to train teachers in science and engineers and math and financial health for low income students with student inventions on display including a concussion cushion for a california female want be to be the first female head football coach. and the first lady is fighting a republican bill to

abc's ryan smith has been covering this story from the jump. just when you thought it couldn't get more strange. >> reporter: that's right. the saga of donald sterling continues. good morning, dan. it's been two weeks since his first racist rant -- since his racist rant got him banned from the nba. now, the embattled clippers owner is speaking out, sort of. he's confiding in yet another friend, in yet another recorded conversation. and sterling reveals what he says were his true intentions. and he offers a mea culpa. in a newly-released tape, donald sterling said racism wasn't the reason for the comments with v. stiviano, it was jealousy. >> i want her. so, what the hell, can't i in private tell her, you know, i don't want you to be with anybody? >> reporter: friday, radar online releasing a new recorded conversation, between sterling and a friend, with at last, a stunning admission. >> i know i'm wrong. what i said was wrong. but i never thought the private conversation would go anywhere. out to the public. >> reporter: in that fateful convers

ryan smith, abc news, los angeles. >>> toronto's troubled mayor is in rehab this morning. after a flight to chicago. rob ford decided to seek treatment after a video of him surfaced of him smoking a crack pot. he's admitted only to a problem with alcohol. his brother says the rehab will last 30 days. lawyer says it could be extended. he is stepping away from the mayor's office and his re-election campaign. >>> chris brown is in jail while his attorney tries to work out a deal with prosecutors. brown has been in custody six weeks now. he was transferred from washington, d.c. where he is facing an assault charge. that charge may have violated his probation stemming from the 2009 beating of then girlfriend rihanna. the judge ordered him to court next week if no deal is reached. >>> police are looking for ninjas. surveillance video caught two of them robbing men in their multimillion dollar mansion. they tied up homeowners, demanded jewelry, money and other valuables. one of the ninjas took a victim's hat and wore it during the heist. those victims were shaken but not injured.

with more here's abc's ryan smith. >> reporter: on tv he played one of the good guys a straight-laced cop who fought corruption and crime on "the shield" but was 51-year-old actor michael jace wearing the handcuffs, arrested for shooting to death his wife april with his two young sons in the house, both under 10 years of age. according to police, the chain of events leading to april's death at their family home started shortly after 8:00 p.m. >> april had come home with both boys from baseball practice. doesn't appear they were home for more than 10, 15 minutes when the shooting occurred. >> i heard pow and thought it sounded like a gunshot and i am not familiar with gunshots and i said maybe it wasn't. then i heard pow, pow and i was uncomfortable and ran in the house. >> reporter: police say april jace was shot multiple times. according to tmz, jace confessed to the killing, quote i shot my wife, he reportedly said. the website reporting he called police, staying on the phone with them as they drove to the home. jace stood in the doorway as police arrived and arrested him in the ear

and abc's ryan smith is here, with the latest on all that. good morning, ryan. >> reporter: good morning, robin. just when the nba thought it moved past the issue of race, with donald sterling facing possible expulsion, mark cuban brings it back into the spotlight. billionaire dallas mavericks owner, mark cuban, ever outspoken, now wading into the controversial waters of bigotry. >> i know i'm prejudice. and i know i'm bigoted in a lot of different ways. >> reporter: speaking his mind to an audience at an "ink" magazine conference on tuesday, cuban not holding back on discussing his own biases. >> if i see a black kid in a hoodie and it's late at night, i'm walking to the other side of the street. if on that side of the street there's a guy that has tattoos all over his face, white guy, bald head, tattoos everywhere, i'm walking back to the other side of the street. >> reporter: these comments coming at a delicate time for the nba, still reeling from the racist rant by los angeles clippers owner, donald sterling, his words creating a debate.