The Los Angeles Clippers have officially chosen LA-based lawyer John Gibson to serve as the team's interim governor while owner Steve Ballmer serves his year-long suspension, the team announced on Monday. Ballmer nominated Gibson as interim governor, and Adam Silver and the NBA recently approved the well-accomplished lawyer for this role with the Clippers.

Gibson will begin serving as CEO and team governor immediately. In these roles, Gibson will oversee the Clippers' basketball and business operations and represent the team on NBA governance matters.

Only 29 teams were represented at the league's latest Board of Governors meetings held in New York City on September 14 and 15. At the time, Silver said the Clippers were not represented at the meetings due to Ballmer and the organization continuing to figure out their leadership structure, specifically who would serve as the team governor.

The Clippers landed on Gibson as the obvious choice to be the team's interim governor not only due to his legal background, but also because he is well-respected and trusted within the organization.

“I am honored to take on this responsibility and grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization I have supported for many years,” Gibson said in the team's statement. “The Clippers have talented players, coaches and staff, and extraordinary home in Intuit Dome, and passionate Clippers Nation fans who, like me, care deeply about this team.

“My focus will be on supporting our people, providing steady leadership, and helping the organization continue moving forward.”

Gibson is best known by the franchise for serving as the lead antitrust counsel for the Clippers when the team earned court-approval for the $2 billion sale of the team from previous owner Donald Sterling to Ballmer in 2014.

Before joining the Clippers, Gibson was a nationally recognized trial lawyer and litigation partner at DLA Piper in Los Angeles, serving as the co-chair of the firm's U.S. Business & Commercial Litigation practice.

Gibson brings over 35 years of experience and knowledge from representing major corporations, technology and health care companies, professional sports organizations, and business leaders on complex legal and business matters with him to his new role as the Clippers' interim CEO and governor.

In 2025, Gibson was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, which is considered to be the top 1% of trial lawyers in the country. Among Gibson's many honors are recognition by The Best Lawyers in America, the National Top 100 Black Lawyers, and membership in the Cosmos Club for “persons of scholarship, creative genius, or intellectual distinction.”

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His main role will be helping mend the relationship between the franchise and the league following the recent Kawhi Leonard controversy.

The NBA announced on Sept. 2 that Leonard and the Clippers were being penalized for violating the salary cap circumvention rules contained in the league’s CBA. These results and findings were developed through an independent investigation conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

The near year-long investigation found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization, who were a prior offender of salary cap circumvention rules in 2015.

Between Leonard accepting endorsement deals from companies partnered with the organization and the Clippers failing to report improper solicitations for off-court income opportunities, the NBA dished out firm penalties.

In addition to Ballmer being suspended one year, president of business operations Gillian Zucker was also suspended one year, and lead executive Lawrence Frank was suspended six months. The Clippers were also fined $30 million and forced to forfeit five first-round picks between 2029 and 2033.

Leonard only received a $700,000 fine for his connection to the violations. Throughout the later stages of the investigation, Leonard met and spoke with Silver and the NBPA about the forthcoming findings and penalties. His cooperation and knowledge of the matter likely played a role in his minimal punishment.

On Sept. 14, the Clippers and Toronto Raptors officially finalized their trade involving Leonard, sending the two-time Finals MVP back to Toronto. Leonard led the Raptors to their first championship in his lone season with the team during the 2018-19 season.

Gibson now joins the Clippers with all of the drama behind them, attempting to repair the organization's image and put them back on the path to success when Ballmer is reinstated by the league in 2027.