Ballmer Says Clippers Complied With Rules in Kawhi Leonard Endorsement
ballmer-says-clippers-complied-with-rules-kawhi-leonard
Los Angeles — LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said he welcomes an NBA inquiry into a $28 million endorsement deal between forward Kawhi Leonard and the now-bankrupt green banking startup Aspiration, insisting the franchise followed league guidelines.
“I’d want the league to investigate, take it seriously,” Ballmer told ESPN in his first interview since journalist Pablo Torre alleged on a podcast that the transaction amounted to salary-cap circumvention. The NBA confirmed it has opened a formal investigation.
Ballmer said Aspiration asked him to connect the company with Leonard in early November 2021—three months after the Clippers signed Leonard to a four-year, $173 million extension and two months after the club announced a $300 million partnership with the financial firm. Under NBA rules, Ballmer noted, teams may introduce sponsors to players but cannot negotiate endorsement terms.
“We were done with Kawhi, we were done with Aspiration. The deals were locked and loaded,” he said. “We made an introduction and then they were off to the races on their own. I had no idea what the deal was.”
Asked about the reported dollar figure and suggestions Leonard did little work for the brand, Ballmer responded, “I don’t know why they did what they did.”
Investment ties and fraud probe
The former Microsoft CEO acknowledged investing $50 million in Aspiration during a major funding round, a stake he said represented less than 3% of the company and came with no board seat or operational control. Last month, Aspiration co-founder Joe Sanberg pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, admitting he defrauded investors and lenders of more than $248 million.
“They conned me,” Ballmer said. “I reviewed, my staff reviewed primarily fraudulent financials. I feel embarrassed I didn’t sniff it out.”
Previous scrutiny of Leonard dealings
The latest allegation follows several earlier probes involving Leonard’s relationship with the Clippers:
- In 2019, the NBA investigated claims that Leonard’s camp, led by his uncle Dennis Robertson, sought improper perks such as team ownership stakes and guaranteed endorsements during free agency. The league cleared the club but kept the case open pending new information.
- In 2020, a lawsuit from Johnny Wilkes alleged he helped recruit Leonard in exchange for $2.5 million from team consultant Jerry West. The suit was dismissed, and the NBA imposed no penalties.
Ballmer said Leonard and his representatives “know the rules” and have complied. He attributed recurring speculation to the two-time NBA Finals MVP’s low public profile. “There’s a lot of mystery around Kawhi,” Ballmer said. “The allegations have not been true, and we’ve always done the right thing.”
Source: ESPN
