Jesse Jackson on Saturday called for a quick response from both the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association over an explosive recording of a man alleged to be Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling making racist remarks. It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, Hispanic, whatever, all across the races.” 
 
 James didn’t mince words, repeatedly saying “there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league.” 
 
 He also said he was confident that newly appointed NBA commissioner Adam Silver would take the appropriate steps in its investigation of the controversy and “take a stand.” 
 
 “I believe in Adam [Silver], I believe in the NBA, and they have to do something and do something very fast and quickly before this really gets out of hand,” James said. Taking a powerful stand against alleged racially insensitive comments by Sterling, Heat forward LeBron James called for immediate action by the NBA “before this really gets out of hand.” On Friday night, TMZ.com published an audiotape reported to be of Sterling telling a person, among other things, “it bothers me a lot that you want to promo, broadcast that you’re associating with black people. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times; Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press / ) 
 
 An Instagram photo of Magic Johnson posing with Donald Sterling's female friend V. Stiviano has become a historical document. “Basketball is huge, obviously, the playoffs have been unbelievable, and I hate the fact that something like this has to come out when the playoffs have been unbelievable, and the game of basketball continues to grow.” 
 
 The audiotape also mentioned Lakers great Magic Johnson: “Don’t put him on an Instagram for the world to have to see so they have to call me. The little I ask you is to not promote on that [Instagram] … and not to bring them to my games." Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, who also sits as the chairman of the NBPA, in a statement Saturday said he will be leading the group’s response, which he said will play a “very active role in determining how this issue is addressed.” 
 
 “The reported comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling are reprehensible and unacceptable,” said Johnson, who also was sworn in as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors earlier this month. "They need to stay focused on their dreams, they worked eight months to put themselves in this position, they have a chance to win a championship, they need to go for it. Johnson added that he will be reaching out to the NBA formally “to determine our next steps.” 
 
 Magic Johnson tweeted that he would not attend another Clippers games while Sterling was owner. “Like I said, there is no room for Donald Sterling in our league, man. Chris Paul, who both plays for the Clippers and is the president of the NBPA, also released a statement announcing Kevin Johnson’s expanded role in handling what Paul called a “serious issue” that the group will “address aggressively.” 
 
 “As players, we owe it to our teams and our fans to keep our focus on our game, the playoffs, and a drive to the Finals,” Paul said in a statement. Clippers president Andy Roeser released a statement addressing TMZ’s report: 
 
 “We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered,” a statement by team president, Andy Roeser said. We do know that the woman on the tape — who we believe released it to TMZ — is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would ‘get even.’ Mr. Sterling is emphatic that what is reflected on that recording is not consistent with, nor does it reflect his views, beliefs or feelings. “It is the antithesis of who he is, what he believes and how he has lived his life,” Roeser said. “He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them.” 
 
 The statement also said that Sterling is upset and apologizes for the “sentiments attributed to him” about Johnson. “He has long considered Magic a friend and has only the utmost respect and admiration for him—both in terms of who he is and what he has achieved,” the statement said.
– The racist and alleged comments of LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling have attracted the wrath of some really big names, including the leader of the free world. "The owner is reported to have said some incredibly offensive racist statements that were published," Obama said today in Malaysia, as per Politico. "When ignorant folks want to advertise their ignorance you don’t really have to do anything, you just let them talk. And that’s what happened here." But he's far from the only one: Magic Johnson, the target of Sterling's alleged rant, has responded thusly, according to the LA Times: "I will never again set foot in Staples Center when the Clippers are playing. I know where I'm not wanted." Further, "Something has to be done, and if that means him losing the team, then that has to happen. The league has to come down hard and make a statement." Meanwhile, Deadspin has released an extended version of the tape, which now runs 15 minutes. Elsewhere in reaction: Sacramento Mayor and NBPA chairman Kevin Johnson: "The reported comments made by Clippers owner Donald Sterling are reprehensible and unacceptable. There needs to be an immediate investigation and if the reports are true, there needs to be strong and swift action taken." Lebron James: "If the reports are true, it’s unacceptable. It’s unacceptable in our league. It doesn’t matter if you’re white, black, Hispanic, whatever, all across the races. There is no room for Donald Sterling in our league." And an interesting statement from Clippers president Andy Roeser: "We have heard the tape on TMZ. We do not know if it is legitimate or it has been altered. We do know that the woman on the tape—who we believe released it to TMZ—is the defendant in a lawsuit brought by the Sterling family alleging that she embezzled more than $1.8 million, who told Mr. Sterling that she would 'get even.'" Furthermore: "It is the antithesis of who (Sterling) is, what he believes and how he has lived his life. He feels terrible that such sentiments are being attributed to him and apologizes to anyone who might have been hurt by them."