In this photo taken on Friday, Oct. 25, 2013, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, right, and V. Stiviano, left, watch the Clippers play the Sacramento Kings during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Los Angeles. The NBA is investigating a report of an audio recording in which a man purported to be Sterling makes racist remarks while speaking to his Stiviano. NBA spokesman Mike Bass said in a statement Saturday, April 26, 2014, that the league is in the process of authenticating the validity of the recording posted on TMZ's website. Bass called the comments "disturbing and offensive." (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) ORG XMIT: CAMT108(Photo: Mark J. Terrill AP)
LOS ANGELES — He was Donald Tokowitz. She was Maria Vanessa Perez. Now they are Donald Sterling and V. Stiviano — embroiled in a saga that has led to the Los Angeles Clippers owner banned for life from the NBA — and they changed their names for different reasons, according to court records obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Sterling did it at the age of 25, and cited the difficulty his friends had pronouncing Tokowitz and the belief he would benefit financially from the name Sterling as reasons for the name change, according to the petition filed with the state superior court Dec. 9, 1959.
STERLING: Banned from NBA for life
His wife, Rochelle, was part of the petition that states the couple believed changing their last name from Tokowitz to Sterling "would be a great advantage to them in avoiding confusion among their friends and of pecuniary benefit to them regarding matters of business.''
The court petition was granted.
MORE: Sterling could use divorce to avoid Clippers sale
V. Stiviano petitioned to have her name changed in 2010 because she hadn't "yet been fully accepted because of my race" among considerations. She described herself as of "mixed" race on the audiotaped conversation with Sterling during which he made racist comments that led to his being banned from the NBA.
MORE: V. Stiviano attended same H.S. as Donald, Rochelle Sterling
Criminal history is reviewed as part of name-change petitions, and at the time Stiviano's petition had been filed, she had been arrested three times on the following charges:
— Petty theft on Oct. 18, 2002. She was sentenced to 12 months probation and given a $150 fine or five days in jail.
— Petty theft on Jan. 29, 2004. She was sentenced to two years probation and one day in jail.
— Possession of a controlled substance. Information about the disposition of the case could not be obtained.
Nine months after the drug charges, her name-change petition was granted.
WATCH: STERLING, THE CLIPPERS AND NEXT BIG STEPS
USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt breaks down the aftermath of the Donald Sterling scandal and where we stand. Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports
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