Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti pleased with NBA’s lifetime ban on Donald Sterling

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks during a press conference on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, at Los Angeles City Hall after NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced a lifetime ban on Clippers owner Donald Sterling. (Andy Holzman/Los Angeles Daily News)

Current and former NBA players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joined Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday to immediately praise the disciplinary actions by the NBA against Clippers owner Donald Sterling for racist remarks.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said he will ban Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers and fine him $2.5 million, as well as seek his removal from ownership of the team.

“Those remarks do not represent Los Angeles,” Garcetti said.

Speaking at a City Hall press conference, the mayor added that the city’s fans should support the Clippers in their playoff run.

“We may be a two-team town, but now there is only one team that we should get behind,” Garcetti said.

Other players at the City Hall press conference included current or former Lakers Steve Nash, A.C. Green, Norm Nixon and Luke Walton, and Knicks center Tyson Chandler, who grew up in Southern California.

“When you get this many Lakers to stand up for the Clippers, you know something big is happening in L.A., Garcetti added.

Abdul-Jabbar said he was “thrilled” with Silver’s decision. He described the reaction as he and other players watched the commissioner’s press conference:

“We all started clapping because he handled it the right way,” the former Lakers center said. “I’m so happy that he did that. It’s going to be a new day here in the city and a whole lot of Clipper fans are going to have a whole lot more to smile about.”

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, a former player who works with the NBA Players Association, said Silver has proven himself.

“Today he is not only the owners commissioner, he is the players commissioner,” Johnson said. “But this shows we still have a long way to go. It shows that hatred and bigotry is far from over.”

Johnson said the players were proud of Los Angeles officials for stepping forward so swiftly in their condemnation of Sterling.

Roger Mason, vice president of the players association, said it was an issue that went beyond basketball.

“We made it clear the players were ready to boycott the game if this kind of action was not taken,” Mason said.

Ticking off the names of African-American athletes like Arthur Ashe and Muhammad Ali, Johnson told reporters that “sports has played a pivotal role in advancing civil rights.”

“Today stands as one of those great moments where sports transcends, where sports provides a place for fundamental change on how our country should think and act,” Johnson said.

Mason also called for a change in ownership of the Clippers. He said his phone had been ringing off the hook. He said his phone had been ringing off the hook.

“We’re not quite satisfied, we want it ASAP,” Mason said.

Nash said he hopes the Sterling incident offers an opportunity to educate people and further work to eliminate racism in society.

“It begs a bigger question,” Nash said. “If racism is a learned behavior, how long will it go on for? How long will people be taught to be bigoted, to discriminate, and to instill hatred in our communities?”

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