Steve Nash praised ” target=”_blank”>the NBA’s decision to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life – after the latter was caught on tape in a private conversation making racist remarks toward black people – a day after commissioner Adam Silver handed down his punishment.

“This is a really proud day for all of us players,” Nash said, standing in front of fellow player Tyson Chandler and former player Kevin Johnson, who’s now the mayor of Sacramento, California. “I want to thank everybody for all their hard work to find this quick resolution and hopefully we can see out Adam Silver’s decision today and make this a thing of the past as quickly as possible.”

Nash was raised in Victoria, B.C. and currently plays for the Clippers’ cross-town rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.

But the Canadian point guard also warned of others like Sterling, either in the NBA or in other positions in the United States.

“It begs a bigger question,” Nash said. “If racism is a learned behaviour, how long will it go on for? How long will people be taught to be bigoted, to discriminate, and to instil hatred in our communities.”