Adam Silver says Robert Sarver’s racism and sexism is “indefensible” while defending him
Adam Silver’s Robert Sarver press conference was his low point as NBA commissioner.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver faced the press on Wednesday for the first time since the league concluded its investigation into the rampant racism and misogyny of Phoenix Suns governor Robert Sarver. The NBA announced that Sarver will be suspended for one year and fined $10 million after the investigation uncovered five instances of Sarver using the N-word when recounting stories and numerous instances of sexual harassment.
Sarver reportedly fought the punishment and believed it was excessive, but it sure seems like he’s the only who thinks that. The reaction around the NBA is that Sarver got off with a slap on the wrist. His disgusting behavior should have resulted in a lifetime ban like the one Silver once gave Donald Sterling, but instead Sarver will still be calling the shots in Phoenix one year from now.
The media was ready to pepper Silver with questions on his punishment for Sarver at the press conference on Wednesday, and the NBA commish looked completely unprepared.
. @HowardBeck: "Why should there be a different standard for NBA owner than it would be for everybody who works in this league?"
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) September 14, 2022
Adam Silver: "There are particular rights here to someone who owns an NBA team as opposed to someone who is an employee."pic.twitter.com/iS4n5gII9v
In other words, the rules are different if you’re extremely wealthy.
You can watch Silver’s press conference here. As bits and pieces trickled out on social media, it was obvious that Silver had so many foot-in-mouth moments.
In the same breath, Silver called Sarver’s behavior “indefensible” and went on to defend it.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stands by punishment for Suns owner Robert Sarver: "The conduct is indefensible but I feel like we dealt with it in a fair manner."
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 14, 2022
Why didn’t Sarver get a ban like Sterling? Well, because the audio component of Sterling’s racism made it a lot harder to ignore. Silver also said that Sarver’s racism and sexual harassment was a different kind of racism and sexual harassment than Sterling’s.
Asked about the difference between Robert Sarver and Donald Sterling situations, Adam Silver points to the nature of Sterling's recording, how quickly it disseminated and and the "realism of the audio" once everyone heard it. With Sarver, he said he's acknowledged his behavior
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) September 14, 2022
Silver also said that Sarver has “evolved as a person” and has done “many positive things.” Well, TrueHoop published a transcript of Sarver making sexist comments in 2021 that would seem to indicate different.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said that there was no conversation with Robert Sarver about selling the Phoenix Suns, that Sarver "has evolved as a person" during his 18-year ownership tenure and that he has done "many very positive things" in his role.
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) September 14, 2022
Adam Silver was slammed by fans and media after Robert Sarver press conference
The lesson is you’re not a problem for the league until you hurt the money
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) September 14, 2022
Adam Silver is always going to side with billionaires and their business interests over players and other workers.
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) September 14, 2022
And yet, he still comes off distinctly repugnant every time he does so.
This presser is the low point of Silver's tenure.
— John Hollinger (@johnhollinger) September 14, 2022
Adam Silver said he had the option to suspend Sarver longer. So much for that whole "the NBA came down on him as hard as they could" angle.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) September 14, 2022
The NBA could have kicked Sarver out of the league. Instead, they decided to give someone with a documented history of abhorrent behavior a one-year vacation before returning next year.
Silver faced the music on Wednesday, and he didn’t look good in doing it.