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Owner Boos His Own Player: “You’re Out Of Shape!”

When the team you root for has a 5-20 record, it’s more than okay to boo them, especially if they’re putting forth a sub-par effort. Yet, for Donald Sterling, verbally hazing the Los Angeles Clippers (the team he owns and runs) from his court side seats may not be the best motivational tactic.

Sterling has taken this exact method to express his anger with the team’s performance, and, mainly, Baron Davis‘ eating habits.

Marc Spears of Yahoo details the bizarre situation that the other Los Angeles team now faces:

Sterling has expressed his displeasure about Davis’ play by taunting him from his courtside seat at Clippers’ home games, several sources told Yahoo! Sports. Among Sterling’s verbal barbs:

“Why are you in the game?”

“Why did you take that shot?”

“You’re out of shape!”

Davis, currently averaging just 7.4 ppg (his lowest output since his rookie year), has been disappointing in the third year of a 5 year, $65 contract. Yet does he really deserve this – to be heckled by his own owner? It’s not like the team he plays for has much experience or talent aside from Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon. Davis, for his part, responded politely, acknowledging his struggles and the desire to succeed.

“There’s nothing I can say,” Davis said of Sterling’s taunts. “I have no comment on that. You just get to this point where it’s a fight every day. It’s a fight. You’re fighting unnecessary battles. I’m fighting unnecessary battles.

Sterling has a nasty reputation. He’s been labeled a racist by former employees and been extremely cruel to his tenants. The zen-master himself, Phil Jackson, has publicly ripped him. And Sterling also has never been willing to invest in star players, until Davis. So his frustration with Davis’ play can be understood. The way he’s dealing with it? Not so much.

Considering the Clippers have only had two winning seasons during Sterling’s now 30-year reign and one playoff berth in the last 20 years, maybe he should be booing a mirror.

As for Baron, there’s no denying that he hasn’t looked good on the court. Here’s a video that brings back fonder memories of the old Davis that you can’t help but love: