Early Life
Donald Sterling, born Donald Tokowitz on April 26, 1934, in Chicago, Illinois. His family moved to Los Angeles when he was two years old. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School and later California State University, Los Angeles. Sterling earned a law degree from Southwestern University School of Law in 1960. He changed his name from Tokowitz to Sterling in 1959.
Rise to Success
Sterling began his career as a divorce and personal injury attorney in 1961. His significant ventures started in real estate with the purchase of a 26-unit apartment building in Beverly Hills. Over time, he acquired numerous properties, including the Sterling Towers and Sterling Plaza. In 1981, he bought the San Diego Clippers for $12.5 million. Sterling moved the team to Los Angeles in 1984 despite opposition.
Key Business Strategies
Sterling's real estate strategy involved buying apartment buildings. He acquired properties in Los Angeles, particularly in the Westside and Koreatown areas. Sterling was known for his hands-on approach. His ownership of the Clippers, though controversial, increased the team's value over time.
Philanthropy
Through the Donald T. Sterling Charitable Foundation, Sterling supports charities focused on poverty, homelessness, and education. However, Forbes gave him a low philanthropy score. In 1991, Sterling invited Israel's championship basketball team, Maccabi Tel Aviv, to play the Clippers in two exhibition games, promising to donate the proceeds from the games to the Maccabi Tel Aviv Sports Organization to help fund its youth programs.
