I Never Wanted To Sell Clippers!

Donald Sterling gave testy, bombastic testimony Tuesday as he challenged the sale of his Los Angeles Clippers.

Contending he's mentally sound, the 80-year-old sparred with his wife's lawyer and drew repeated laughter from spectators.

'Tell me what you want to accuse me of. ... Stand up and be a man,' he told attorney Bert Fields during a 90-minute afternoon appearance.

The billionaire also called doctors who've declared he has Alzheimer's disease 'hired guns,' pleaded a faulty memory about some of his most controversial remarks and declared he could top the $2 billion offer for the Clippers by $10 billion by selling TV rights to Fox and winning an antitrust suit he's filed against the NBA.

'What do you think, I'm doing this for ego?' he asked Fields.

'Yes,' the attorney replied.

'Well, you're wrong, like you're wrong with all your questions,' Sterling said.

He also repeatedly told the soft-voiced Fields that he couldn't hear him, but at one point also said he was a good lawyer.

As Sterling made continued outbursts, Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas tried futilely to take control of the situation, at one point telling him: 'Go back to answering questions rather than making somewhat entertaining comments.'

After court, Fields said those who watched Sterling could easily draw their own conclusions on his competence.

'Is this a guy you'd employ to sell hamburgers?' Fields said.

Sterling angrily denied that on the witness stand.

'When I went to the Cleveland Clinic, they told me I was razor-sharp. I have five corporations and I run them every day,' he said.

Sterling acknowledged that he had offered to allow his wife to negotiate the sale at one point, but that was when he believed she would retain an interest in the team.

'I wanted to keep the team. I didn't want to sell it,' he said.

Despite his challenge, Sterling repeatedly defended his wife and during a break before giving testimony, he pulled her down to his chair for a kiss. She wiped away a tear.

'I trust her today,' Sterling said on the stand. 'The reason we're here is because she's afraid of this big NBA that's trying to take everything away.'

At times, he sniffled and appeared to wipe away a tear.

NBA owners are scheduled to vote on the Ballmer deal on July 15. It's also the day that Ballmer's offer is set to expire - and there is no deal without the judge's approval of the sale.

If the sale isn't completed by September 15, the league said it could seize the team and put it up for auction.