Owner Robert Thurber announced Wednesday that he has begun the process of selling both the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and the WNBA. Phoenix Mercury franchise.
“As a person of faith, I believe in atonement and a path to forgiveness,” Thurber said in a statement Wednesday. I thought it would give me time to clear my personal controversy from a team that many fans love.
“However, in our current inexorable circumstances, it has become painfully clear that this is no longer possible.
Thurber was handed a one-year suspension and a $10 million fine after an NBA investigation found he used the N-word at least five times “in detailing what others said.”
Servers were also involved in “instances of unfair conduct toward female employees,” including “comments about sex” and inappropriate comments about an employee’s appearance.
“The words I deeply regret cast a shadow over nearly two decades of building an organization that has brought people together and strengthened the Phoenix area through the unifying power of professional men’s and women’s basketball,” Thurber wrote in his statement. rice field.
Server purchased Team in July 2004 for approximately $400 million. Owning about his one-third of the shares, he is the primary owner rather than the sole owner. Forbes recently put Suns’ worth at his $1.8 billion.
The NBA commissioned an investigation in the wake of a November 2021 ESPN article detailing allegations of racism and misogyny during 17 years as the server owner.
Since the NBA survey was released, lebron james, Chris Paul When draymond green PayPal, the sponsor of the Suns’ jersey patch, threatened not to renew its partnership with the team if the servers remained owners. A shareholder, Jahm Najafi, the team’s second largest shareholder, called for Sarver’s resignation.
“I don’t want to distract these two teams and the amazing people who work so hard to bring the joy and excitement of basketball to fans around the world.” , our fans, our community, our fellow owners, the NBA and the WNBA, and this is the best thing we can do for everyone.
“In the meantime, I will continue to work on being a better person and continue to support the community in meaningful ways.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
