NBA hammers Suns owner Robert Sarver after finding he used the 'N-word' at least 5 times and made 'sex-related' comments to female employees

• The NBA suspended Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver for one year and fined him $10 million after an investigation into workplace misconduct.
• The investigation follows a November 2021 ESPN report that alleged Sarver made racist, sexist, and inappropriate comments to and around team employees.

The NBA fined and suspended Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Robert Sarver after an independent investigation found that he used the "N-word" at least five times during his tenure with the teams and made repeated "sex-related" comments to female employees.

The investigation also found that Sarver "engaged in demeaning and harsh treatment of employees" by yelling or cursing at them.

The NBA suspended Sarver for one year (a ban that also applies to his involvement with the Mercury) and fined him $10 million. He was also ordered to complete a training program focused on respect in the workplace.

During Sarver's suspension, he can't attend any Suns or Mercury events, be present in any NBA or WNBA facility, publicly or privately represent the teams, or have any involvement with the teams or leagues.

The $10 million fine appears to be the biggest in league history and is the maximum permitted by the NBA, according to ESPN.

In a statement, Sarver said: "While I disagree with some of the particulars of the NBA's report, I would like to apologize for my words and actions that offended our employees. I take full responsibility for what I have done. I am sorry for causing this pain, and these errors in judgment are not consistent with my personal philosophy or my values."

Sarver said he would use the suspension as a way to "demonstrate a capacity to learn and grow as we continue to build a working culture where every employee feels comfortable and valued."

The investigation, conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, began after a November 4, 2021, report from ESPN's Baxter Holmes.

The ESPN story detailed several allegations of workplace misconduct against Sarver, including the use of the "N-word" and unfair treatment of female employees.

In a 43-page report from the investigators, Sarver said that he only recalled one incident when he used the "N-word" — in 2013, when he repeated a Suns player who had used the word during a team-building event. According to the investigation, players "reacted negatively" to Sarver's use of the word, and he was told not to use it.

Former Phoenix Suns head coach Earl Watson, who is Black, told Baxter that after a loss to the Golden State Warriors in 2016, Sarver went into the coaches' locker room and asked why Draymond Green could say the "N-word." Despite coaches telling Sarver not to use the word, he repeated the question.

According to the investigation, two coaches recalled the incident as reported.

Sarver said he had emailed the NBA to complain about the officiating and was quoting a Warriors player who had used the "N-word."

The investigators found that Sarver did not use the word "with the intent to demean or denigrate."

Sarver told investigators that he had made "substantial personal and professional contributions to social and racial justice causes." Sarver promoted the Suns' record of hiring people of color and pointed to donations in the millions to nonprofit organizations.

'Inequitable and demeaning conduct toward female employees'

The investigation also found that Sarver often violated the Suns and NBA's workplace conduct policies, including in his treatment of women.

In one instance, Sarver told a pregnant employee that she'd be unable to fill a coordinator role at an event because she'd be breastfeeding and the baby needed its mother. According to the investigators' report, Sarver later held a meeting with an employee who had witnessed the incident and a lawyer. During the meeting, Sarver said he didn't do anything wrong and questioned the witness's judgment. The pregnant employee was still able to fill the coordinator role at the event.

In another instance, Sarver "screamed" at a female employee over a tribute video for a departing team executive, causing her to cry. During a follow-up meeting, Sarver asked, "Why can't we get along? What's wrong with you?" When the employee began crying, Sarver said, "Why do all the women around here cry so much?"

Investigators also found "numerous" instances of Sarver making crude, sexual, and vulgar commentary. These incidents were often corroborated by multiple witnesses and included Sarver joking about condom sizes, genitalia, and how he learned about "blow jobs" as a child.

In one instance, Sarver was preparing to take a shower at team facilities. Sarver came upon a male and female employee having a conversation, and Sarver said to the female employee, "You gotta get out of here ... you've never seen anything this big."

In another instance, Sarver commented on a female employee's breast augmentation, reportedly saying, "Did you get an upgrade this summer?"

Sarver had also made several inappropriate comments to Suns players about their sex lives. Sarver told investigators that the comments were made in "banter" and sometimes while addressing "issues."

In the summary of their report, investigators found that Sarver "often acted aggressively in an apparent effort to provoke a reaction from his targets; Sarver's sense of humor was sophomoric and inappropriate for the workplace; and Sarver behaved as though workplace norms and policies did not apply to him."