Doc Rivers: It would be 'very hard' if Donald Sterling's wife continued to own Clippers

Donald Sterling will be forced out, but it's not clear if the same fate applies to other members of his family. (Johnny Vy/NBAE via Getty Images)

Los Angeles Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said it would be a "very hard situation" if Shelly Sterling, the wife of Donald Sterling, continued to own her stake in the team in the wake of Donald's banishment from the NBA.

Shelly Sterling said Thursday she intends to fight to keep ownership of the Clippers, saying she believes her her husband’s lifetime ban and $2.5 million fine do not apply “to me or my family.”

"I guarantee you every person wouldn't be on board with that,'' Rivers said of the situation, according to ESPN.com. "Whether I would or not, I'm not going to say.''

Shelly Sterling confirmed Wednesday that she has no intention to sell her stake in the team, despite the NBA's move last week to ban her husband for life after audio of his racist comments was posted on TMZ.

The league also moved to force him to sell the Clippers. At a news conference announcing the decision last week, though, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league hadn't made a determination whether Shelly Sterling or anyone else in the family would be allowed to retain or any other Sterling family member will be allowed to retain any ownership in the team.

“I have been co-owner since 1981,” Shelly Sterling said in the statement released Wednesday. “During those 33 years, I have been a diehard fan even when the team was in the basement of the league. Now that all of our hard work is paying off, I want to celebrate the success that we are finally achieving.”

POINT FORWARD: Donald Sterling's wife will fight to keep ownership >