Former NBA star Yao Ming has emerged as the latest in growing list of celebrity heavyweights expressing an interest in acquiring the L.A. Clippers.
SBNation.com is reporting the former Houston Rockets star is now in the process of "putting together a group of weathy Chinese investors to make a serious run at buying the franchise."
Yao joins a known list of potential buyers that also includes Magic Johnson, Oprah Winfrey, David Geffen, Oscar De La Hoya and Sean "Diddy" Combs, all of whom have openly expressed varying levels of interest.
The league moved to force Donald Sterling to sell his franchise after video emerged of him instructing a girlfriend not to bring blacks, including NBA legend Magic Johnson, to his games. The league's longest tenured owner was also been fined a league maximum $2.5 million.
Donald Sterling caught in racist rant
The league announced on Friday the 81-year-old Sterling has now turned over controlling interests to the franchise to estranged wife Shelly Sterling, who is rumored to be in formal talks with the NBA about a complete sell of the franchise the family has owned since 1981.
Whomever emerges as the new owner will certainly need to have deep pockets, as estimates now peg the sale of the franchise to be in the neighborhood of $2 billion.
The 33-year-old Ming played eight NBA seasons before his career was cut short by injury, averaging 19 points and nine rebounds.
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