Donald Sterling is officially out as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers

Donald Sterling is officially out as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, ending a nearly four-month effort to oust him after racially insensitive comments were made public.

The sale of the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion closed Tuesday, the NBA announced in a news release. The purchase agreement closed after a California court issued a written order affirming that Sterling's wife, Shelly, has the legal authority to sell the team on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust, the league announced.

The $2 billion sale price is by far the highest in NBA history, and the sale marks the end of an emotional, combative showdown between Donald Sterling, his fellow owners and commissioner Adam Silver.

The NBA approved the sale of the team to Ballmer in May, and the Board of Governors ratified the deal electronically by a unanimous vote of 29-0 on Monday, a league source told CBSSports.com.

Clippers coach and president Doc Rivers, who has expressed doubt about whether he'd honor the two years left on his contract if Donald Sterling remained the owner, called it "an amazing new day in Clippers history."