Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver made possessive, misogynistic comments to female subordinates — once asking ‘do I own you?’ — and frequently used the N-word, according to a bombshell report detailing allegations of racism and sexism from more than 70 current and former employees.
One Suns co-owner said that Sarver’s misogyny was beyond reproach. It’s embarrassing for me as an owner.
‘If the commissioner comes in and investigates to see what the f*** is going on in Phoenix,’ a current employee told ESPN, ‘[he]You would be horrified.

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver (pictured) made possessive, misogynistic comments to female subordinates — once asking ‘do I own you?’ — and frequently used the N-word, according to a bombshell report detailing allegations of racism and sexism from more than 70 current and former employees
The ESPN report was anticipated since October 22nd, when Jordan Schultz, a podcaster, teased its publication via Twitter. Nearly all of the claims made by Sarver have been denied or disputed, both in the article and before it was published.
Earl Watson, a former Suns coach, accused Sarver of using the N word to complain in 2016 about Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors forward, using the term.
Watson, who is Hispanic, and African American, said: “You can’t tell that.”
“Why?” Sarver asked. Sarver asked. Sarver asked. [n-word].
‘You can’t f****ing say that,’ Watson repeated.
Sarver admitted to using the n word years before.
Sarver, through his lawyers, stated that a player once used the n-word in order to describe the importance having each other’s backs. ‘I responded by saying, ”I wouldn’t say n***a, I would say that we’re in the foxhole together.”
“An assistant coach approached my shortly after and said that I shouldn’t use the word, even though I was quoting someone else. I immediately apologized and haven’t used the word since. The n-word is not part of my vocabulary.

Earl Watson, a former Suns coach (pictured), said that he witnessed Sarver using the n-word.
Sarver also denied that he had spoken with Watson. Watson, now an assistant coach for Toronto Raptors, was fired in Phoenix in 2017.
Saver, through his attorneys, stated that he never suggested to him (or anyone else) that he should be able use the n word because a player or a person of color uses it.
Six Suns employees accused Sarver, at least, of using the n word while quoting African Americans.
“You’re like, “Whoa! Robert, you can’t do it,” said a former executive.
Another African-American basketball operations staffer claimed that he heard Sarver use the “n-word” several times.
Sarver, who is black, allegedly used the “n-word” to explain why he hired Lindsey Hunter, a black coach, to fill a head-coaching position over Dan Majerle who was white.
‘These [n-word]Need a [n-word]Sarver stated to the employee,
Nearly a dozen former employees spoke to ESPN on condition of anonymity. They said they have sought professional help for anxiety and sleep problems due to working conditions that were exacerbated in part by Sarver’s verbal abuses.
ESPN reported that one executive cried a lot when she took her to the psychologist. “It’s like that with many of you. It’s so sad.

Sarver is alleged to have used the n-word in 2013 to explain why he filled his head-coaching vacancy by Lindsey Hunter (right), who is a black coach, over Dan Majerl who is white.
According to reports, employees were discouraged from submitting complaints to human resources. ESPN reports that many employees were dismissed after submitting complaints, and were told that they did not fit the organization’s requirements.
Sarver is accused of making sexist remarks and condoning the sexism of male employees. This has made Sarver feel particularly bad for women.
One former female employee stated, “It breaks your heart.” “It is hard to break, but it broke me.”
Another person said that it had “ruined my life.” “I was contemplating suicide.”

Former Suns star Dan Majerle was reportedly rejected for the Phoenix head coaching job because Sarver believed that black players would only listen when a coach was black.
A former female marketing employee said that she believes women should accept the fact that they will be sexually harassed if they get into sports. “But the worst part was the verbal abuse, and feeling like I wasn’t human.”
Sarver is said by having allegedly berated a female employee till she cried in 2011.
Sarver’s attorneys refuted this claim and said that he doesn’t’remember ever seeing an employee cry in front of him.
Sarver asked female Suns employees to have lunch with his bank workers following the incident. This was believed to be an attempt to improve his female workforce with the NBA club.
“So humiliating,” a former employee of mine said about the arranged lunch.
The attorneys at Saver said that networking lunches between bank and team members ‘have been encouraged’ for both men & women.
ESPN was told by a female marketing employee that Saver made bizarre, possessive comments about employees.
“Do you own me?” Sarver allegedly asked. “Are you one?
According to the employee, ‘He makes it feel like you belong to his’.
According to the report, the culture in the office was not much better.

The Suns experienced a resurgence and reached the Finals in 2020-21 for the first time since 1993.
Another female employee claimed she was attacked by a male coworker outside the office. HR was informed by coworkers and they were able to move her desk about 10 feet away from his.
She told ESPN, “I couldn’t escape.” It was a joke. It was an absolute joke.
The investigation into the male staffer was not done, but according to Suns, this was because both employees refused contact with HR.
The Suns also denied telling ‘either’ employee to’move [their]desk’ to solve the domestic problem they were having.
ESPN reports that three employees contradicted ESPN’s denial.
Another female ex-employee said that a Suns executive drunkenly inquired how many coworkers had she slept with, and specifically asked about one coworker’s penis.
“It was horrible because I had never had sexual interactions on my own with anyone.” [the staff]”So that was very strange,” she explained to ESPN. “And [it]Also, my VP was asking me about my sexual history and co-workers. This was almost common.
However, most of the former employees stated that they were too afraid to pursue legal action.
ESPN spoke to a female ex-marketing employee who said she was too scared and exhausted to pursue it. “I even had my attorney offer to do all the pro bono stuff, but I was so broken down by then. I couldn’t function well or sleep well, so I decided to accept the offer. I regret not taking it up.
The Suns experienced a revival in 2020-21 and reached NBA Finals for only the second time since 1993. They lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in 1993. So far, Phoenix is 3-3.
Many Suns employees voted for Sarver after rumors about the ESPN report’s expected release started to circulate last month.
Suns GM James Jones, a black man, said that ‘none of what’s been written describes the Robert Sarver, I know, respect, and like — it just doesn’t”t’.
Jason Rowley, Suns President and CEO, described the ESPN piece as “false narratives” and “completely outrageous, false,” before adding that the company plans to “act accordingly.”
The NBA removed Donald Sterling, Los Angeles Clippers owner, from his Los Angeles Clippers home in 2014 after secretly recording audio was released. He told his then-girlfriend he didn’t want her to see African Americans at games.
He eventually sold the team to Steve Ballmer, former CEO of Microsoft, for $2 billion.