Bombshell ESPN Report Accuses Phoenix Suns Owner Robert Sarver of Misogyny and Racism
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Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver is facing serious accusations of misogyny and racism, which reportedly continued throughout his tenure with the organization. Sarver purchased the NBA franchise, along with the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, in 2004.
On Thursday, ESPN published an investigative report by Baxter Holmes, detailing the toxic workplace culture after interviewing more than 70 current and former Suns employees.
In one example of racism, former NBA player and Suns head coach Earl Watson recalled an incident from Oct. 2016, when Sarver allegedly used the N-word during a postgame conversation.
“You know, why does Draymond Green get to run up the court and say [N-word],” Sarver, who is white, allegedly told Watson.
“You can’t say that,” Watson, who is Black and Hispanic, responded to Sarver.
“Why?” Sarver asked. “Draymond Green says [N-word].”
“You can’t f*cking say that,” Watson reiterated.
According to the ESPN report, at least a half-dozen Suns employees recalled instances of Sarver allegedly reciting a story he heard from a Black player without omitting usage of the N-word.
“The level of misogyny and racism is beyond the pale,” one unnamed Suns co-owner told ESPN about Sarver. “It’s embarrassing as an owner.”
A former Suns executive added, “There’s literally nothing you could tell me about him from a misogynistic or race standpoint that would surprise me.”
Holmes’ article is filled with other damning examples and anecdotes of Sarver’s racist language and misogynistic mindset, including the Suns owner allegedly sharing sexual details about his wife in the workplace. One former female marketing employee told ESPN the 60-year-old Sarver would say things such as, “Do I own you? Are you one of mine?”
At the request of the Suns, ESPN also spoke to current and former employees who supported Sarver, claiming they did not witness these allegations.
Aware that ESPN was working on the investigative report, Sarver issued a statement weeks ago, denying all allegations of racial or gender discrimination. “While I can’t begin to know how to respond to some of the vague suggestions made by mostly anonymous voices, I can certainly tell you that some of the claims I find completely repugnant to my nature and to the character of the Suns/Mercury workplace and I can tell you they never, ever happened,” Sarver wrote in the statement.
The most recent example of an NBA owner facing allegations of racism came in 2014 with Donald Sterling and the Los Angeles Clippers. On April 25, 2014, an audio recording was released with Sterling using racist language. Then 80-years-old, Sterling was banned from the NBA and forced to sell the Clippers, which was done within four months.
The damning evidence of Sterling, however, was tangible, while the allegations against Sarver remain recollected accounts that he has so far denied.
