Suns owner Sarver denies allegations of racism, gender discrimination

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver released a statement Friday, denying claims of racism and gender discrimination made against him in an upcoming ESPN story centered around misconduct within the organization.

"I am wholly shocked by some of the allegations purported by ESPN about me, personally, or about the Phoenix Suns and Mercury organizations," Sarver said. "While I can't begin to know how to respond to some of the vague suggestions made by mostly anonymous voices, I can certainly tell you that some of the claims I find completely repugnant to my nature and to the character of the Suns/Mercury workplace and I can tell you they never, ever happened."

In a separate statement, the Suns organization vehemently denied accusations from the unpublished story, citing "documentary evidence in our possession and eyewitness accounts."

Sarver, 59, has owned the Suns and Mercury since 2004.

Phoenix is coming off a successful season that saw the franchise reach the NBA Finals and come within two wins of a championship.