A decade ago, the NBA grew up.

That’s when a league known for its entertainment value featuring wealthy athletes of international renown morphed into a collective, influential voice that led to the ousting of a compromised team owner and players understanding that they, too, had power. 

Credit the enigmatic Donald Sterling for the awakening. Already deemed a misfit as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers for 33 years, Sterling, a real estate magnate, became persona non grata when his personal…