All Clipped characters in real life and where are they now

FX's Clipped premiered on Hulu on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, with the first two episodes. The miniseries focuses on the 2014 NBA racism scandal, which forced the Los Angeles Clippers team to change hands. The series is based on The Sterling Affairs, the ESPN 30 for 30 podcast.

The miniseries, titled Clipped: The Scandalous Story of L.A.'s Other Basketball Team, presents the events that erupted after a tape was leaked recording the conversation between Donald Sterling and V. Stiviano. Sterling was the billionaire owner of the LA Clippers team, and Stiviano was his assistant and mistress. The tape was reported to have been recorded by Stiviano.

The tape was released by TMZ and was reported on TMZ Sports on April 25, 2014. As a result of the furor created by the leaked racist views of Sterling, the billionaire was given a lifetime ban from the NBA, along with a fine of $2.5 million. He was forced to sell the team that he co-owned with his wife, Shelly.

The main characters presented in Clipped, in their real life now

1) Donald Sterling

Donald Sterling was stripped of ownership of the team (Image via FX Networks)

Portrayed by Ed O'Neill in the Clipped miniseries, Donald Sterling was an attorney-turned-real estate giant. He invested in both residential and commercial properties in Los Angeles, leading to immense growth in wealth. He bought the San Diego Clippers in 1981 for $12.5 million and relocated them to form the Los Angeles Clippers in 1984.

A recording released by TMZ in April 2014 found Sterling taking a racist stand against African-Americans. He referred to them as "black people," asking his mistress, Stiviano, not to bring them "to my games." After the case was heard, Sterling was stripped of his ownership, and his wife Shelly managed the sale of the LA Clippers for $2 billion to Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft.

Currently, the 90-year-old continues to hold his real estate business. He is the owner of the Los Angeles property of the Beverly Hills Plaza Hotel.

2) Doc Rivers

Rivers clashed with Sterling many times during his tenure (Image via FX Networks)

Played by Laurence Fishburne in the Clipped on Hulu miniseries, Glenn Anton "Doc" Rivers had a long and successful career and became a coach in 1999 after retiring from active playing. He moved from the Orlando Magic to the Boston Celtics before joining the LA Clippers.

After joining the Clippers in 2013, Rivers had problems with Donald Sterling. In a 2020 interview with TNT's Ernie Johnson, he said that though he didn't trust Sterling, he didn't know about any previous racial incidents with the owner.

Rivers is known to have coached the Philadelphia 76ers between 2020 and 2023. Recently, after Adrian Griffin was fired, Rivers joined the Milwaukee Bucks in 2024. His team released his statement, according to AP, where Rivers claimed to find his current move a great opportunity with talented players.

3) Shelly Sterling

Jacki Weaver as Shelly Sterling in Clipped miniseries (Image via FX Networks)

Jacki Weaver plays Shelly Sterling, Donald Sterling's wife, in Clipped. Rochelle Sterling, aka Shelly, met Donald in high school, and they married in 1955. She has three children from the marriage. She is known to have been an active participant in her husband's business decisions.

Shelly co-owned the LA Clippers with Donald and was the primary initiator in the sale of the team to Steve Ballmer after the racism case. She herself had racist cases against her, such as a 2007 housing discrimination lawsuit. She settled the LA federal suit for $2.8 million.

She also sued Stiviano for targeting wealthy older men and fleecing them of expensive gifts, which include cars and homes. She legally forced Stiviano to pay $2.6 million and more in gifts back to the Sterling family.

Currently, she is known to be part of the real estate portfolio of Donald T. Sterling Corp. While she is not divorced, she lives separated from her husband. As per the Los Angeles Business Journal, Shelly and Donald had a joint net worth of $5.4 billion in 2022.

Stiviano leaked the recording and was sued in return (Image via FX Networks)

In the miniseries Clipped, Cleopatra Coleman plays Stiviano. Born Maria Vanessa Perez, Stiviano legally adopted a new name later. As published by TMZ in 2014, Stiviano had multiple petty crimes on her roster. She was appointed to the Clippers in 2010 after Sterling met her at a Super Bowl party.

While working for Sterling, she had an affair with him and accepted a Range Rover, a Ferrari, two Bentleys, and a $1.8 million duplex as gifts, as claimed by Shelly Sterling.

She taped the leaked offensive remarks of Sterling that had him banned from the NBA. When questioned, Stiviano claimed to have recorded most of their conversations since Donald's early-onset Alzheimer's made him forget what he said.

While Donald withdrew his "invasion of privacy" lawsuit against her after the Sterling case, Shelly sued and won against her for unlawful gains from the Sterlings. Stiviano stays away from the limelight, as per Sporting News, and has set her social media account private.

5) Andy Roeser

Roeser tried to shield Sterling by covering up his actions (Image via FX Networks)

Played by Kelly Aucoin in Clipped, Roeser was the president of the LA Clippers at the time. After the release of the tape by TMZ, Roeser released a statement in which he sided with Sterling. He hinted that the Sterling family was suing the woman on the tape for embezzlement and may be defaming her for revenge.

He further defended Donald Sterling as a non-racist who considered Earvin "Magic" Johnson a friend and held him in high esteem. He kept the matter on hold by claiming to investigate the accusations.

Initially set to run the team, Roeser was put on indefinite leave of absence after the scandal blew up. He lost his job after Steve Ballmer took over the team. While not much is known about Roeser currently, Wikipedia says he lives with his wife and two children in Long Beach, California.

Four years ago, the Los Angeles Times requested an interview with Roeser, which he declined, HoopsHype says.

6) Chris Paul

J Alphonse Nicholson as Chris Paul in the series (Image via FX Networks)

J. Alphonse Nicholson plays Chris Paul in Clipped. Chris Emmanuel Paul is a professional basketball player. He joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 2011. His style of dunks and fast-paced offense earned the Clippers the nickname Lob City. He was part of the team when the Sterling controversy occurred, and the Clippers changed hands from Sterling to Ballmer.

He left the Clippers and was traded to the Houston Rockets in 2017. Despite multiple injuries, Paul continues to play with different teams that have owned him in these years. Currently, he is on the team of the Golden State Warriors. He fractured his hand in January 2024 and is expected to join the game later this year.

7) Elgin Baylor

Baylor was fired by Sterling, Roeser and the NBA (Image via FX Networks)

Clifton Davis plays Baylor in the Clipped miniseries. Elgin Gay Baylor was a professional coach, executive, and player. He spent 22 years as a general manager with the LA Clippers, which includes the time that Donald Sterling was the owner of the team.

He was fired from his role with the Clippers in 2008. He filed a lawsuit against Sterling, Roeser, and the NBA in 2009, claiming that he was underpaid and fired because of his race and age. The jury decided in favor of Sterling, believing that he was fired due to the team's poor performance.

Baylor died on March 22, 2021, at the age of 86 due to natural causes in an LA hospital.

The other actors playing various roles in Clipped are Rich Sommer as Seth Burton, Corbin Bernsen as Pierce O'Donnell, Harriet Sansom Harris as Justine, Petri Hawkins Byrd as Alvin Gentry, and LeVar Burton playing himself.

Other basketball players represented in Clipped are Glen Big Baby Davis, DeAndre Jordan, JJ Reddick, and Blake Griffin, played by Jock McKissic, Sheldon Bailey, Charlie McElveen, and Austin Scott, respectively.

The first two episodes of Clipped are currently streaming on Hulu.