“He doesn’t belong near people in this league” - Former NBA champion issues strong remarks against maligned Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver
News of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver looking for buyers for his team has generated quite the buzz around the league. Former NBA player and champion Richard Jefferson has also offered his take on the matter.
The Phoenix Suns and their WNBA counterpart, the Phoenix Mercury, are franchises in disarray at the moment. With owner Robert Sarver being penalized for his actions over the years, several members of the community have taken up the fight against him.
With rising pressure from the league and external variables, Sarver has reportedly begun his search for potential buyers.
Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver announces that he has started the process to sell both franchises.
This news has received varied reactions across the league. However, Richard Jefferson had a fairly straightforward but animated response to the matter. The former Cleveland Cavaliers forward said:
"Why is everyone so serious? This is amazing! He's gone! This is awesome. I think this is the best thing that could happen to this league."
Jefferson backed up his reaction by voicing his affiliation with Phoenix. As an alumnus of the University of Arizona with personal ties to Sarver, Jefferson had enough reason to react the way he did.
He added to his statement, saying:
"He is a part of the fraternity and family that I belong to and I could not be happier to see that man walking out of the door. Why? Because even though I did not have these experiences, I had close friends that did.
"I had people that were around this organization, inside the Phoenix Suns and Mercury organization that did.
"So for me, even though these weren't my experiences, I am so happy that this man is gone. He doesn't belong in this league. He doesn't belong near people in this league."
.@Rjeff24 reacts to Robert Sarver beginning the process of selling the Phoenix Suns and Mercury. https://t.co/HC5HBhBmy7
Similar to the Donald Sterling-Clippers situation, seeing an owner like Sarver out of the league is beneficial to the NBA's goal of fostering an inclusive environment.
Richard Jefferson's animated response certainly caught the rest of the panel off-guard.
Potential buyers have lined up for the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns co-owner Jahm Najafi got the ball rolling on the Sarver situation when he released a statement asking the owner to resign. With news of Sarver looking for potential buyers coming shortly after, the situation has developed at a blinding rate.
In this regard, potential buyers for the Suns and Mercury have already emerged. As reported by ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne, several big names have shown interest in buying the Suns and Mercury.
Jeff Bezos, former Disney CEO Bob Iger, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Wizards minority governor Laurene Powell Jobs are expected to be interested in buying the Suns and Mercury, per @ramonashelburne
Full story here: bit.ly/3dzkmjA https://t.co/wUo4bm65IE
The names include Jeff Bezos, former Disney founder Bob Iger, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Wizards minority governor Laurene Powell Jobs.
Considering the interest the franchise has generated, Phoenix may see a personnel change sooner rather than later.