( CNN ) -- The deal is off . The suit is on . Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is withdrawing his support for the sale of his team and is asking his lawyer to go ahead with a $ 1 billion lawsuit against the NBA . `` From the onset , I did not want to sell the Los Angeles Clippers . I have worked for 33 years to build the Team , '' Sterling said in a statement , forwarded to CNN by his lawyer Max Blecher . Referring to NBA commissioner , Sterling added , `` I believe that Adam Silver acted in haste by illegally ordering the forced sale of the Clippers , banning me for life from the NBA and imposing the fine . ... The action taken by Adam Silver and the NBA constitutes a violation of my rights and fly in the face of the freedoms that are afforded to all Americans . '' It 's exactly the kind of move that made Silver wary of the litigious Sterling . `` He 's unsold his club several times over the years , '' Silver told CNN 's Rachel Nichols in an exclusive interview this week . `` There 's well-noted incidents in the league when he was right there at a closing and at the last minute decided not to sell . '' Sterling , 80 , has been embroiled in controversy since a recording of a conversation with friend V. Stiviano revealed he made a series of racist comments . The comments sparked outrage among NBA players , executives and fans . The commissioner fined Sterling $ 2.5 million and pushed to terminate all of his ownership rights in the franchise . `` To be clear , I am extremely sorry for the hurtful statements I made privately , '' Sterling said in his statement . `` I made those statements in anger and out of jealousy all in the context of a private conversation . While this is not an excuse for the statements , like every other American , I never imagined that my private conversation would be made public . '' Back and forth . Sterling has seemingly changed his mind multiple times about what he wants to happen to the team . In late May , former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer laid down a $ 2 billion offer to buy the Clippers . Sterling 's estranged wife and co-owner of team , Shelly , agreed to sell the franchise to Ballmer . Sterling initially indicated he would fight that sale . He also filed a $ 1 billion lawsuit against the NBA for its decision to ban him for life and force him to sell the franchise . But his attorneys said last week that Sterling supported the team 's sale to Ballmer . The attorneys said last Wednesday that the lawsuit had yet to be withdrawn , but said that would likely happen in the coming days . Now , it appears , the Sterling 's fight is back on . Steve Ballmer : From screaming Microsoft exec to LA Clippers owner ? CNN 's Artemis Moshtaghian , Dave Alsup , Brian Todd and Kevin Conlon contributed to this report .
From the onset , I did not want to sell the Los Angeles Clippers , '' Sterling writes . Earlier , Sterling had agreed to the sale of the Clippers to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer . But after a series of legal battles with Sterling, he was forced out as owner in April 2016 and replaced by former NBA commissioner Adam Silver. `` He 's unsold his club several times over the years '' Sterling has filed a $ 1B suit against the NBA because it banned him for life and forced him to sell .