Shelly Sterling plans to divorce husband, remain Clippers owner

Shelly Sterling's husband has been the owner of the Clippers for 33 years. (Noel Vasquez/GC Images/Getty Images)

Shelly Sterling sat down for an interview with ABC's Barbara Walters on Sunday, saying that she plans to divorce her husband, Donald Sterling, and that she plans to try and keep the Los Angeles Clippers in her family.

Sterling said she felt it was unfair for her to lose her shares in the team because of something her husband had done.

"I will fight that decision... To be honest with you, I'm wondering if a wife of one of the owners, and there's 30 owners, did something like that, said those racial slurs, would they oust the husband? Or would they leave the husband in?"

She also said she would love for Donald to transfer ownership of the team to her, but that she had not discussed the option with him. Such a move would require the approval of the NBA's board of governors.

Donald and Shelly Sterling have been married since 1955 but Shelly contends that they have been in the process of divorcing for many years.

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"For the last 20 years, I've been seeing attorneys for a divorce," she said, laughing. "In fact, I have here-- I just filed-- I was going to file the petition. I signed the petition for a divorce. And it came to almost being filed. And then, my financial advisor and my attorney said to me, 'Not now.'"