According to Forbes, Donald — who is worth $4 billion — "built a fortune largely by buying down-at-the-heels apartment buildings in Los Angeles." His real name is Donal Tokowitz, which he changed because as he apparently told one friend, "You have to name yourself after something that’s really good, that people have confidence in. People want to know that you’re the best," per Los Angeles Magazine (via The Nation). For a while, he was.

Growing up in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles as the son of an immigrant produce peddler, Donald began working quite young. He was a box boy at a local grocery store and had a real knack for saving money. Eventually he graduated college and went on to attend law school at Southwestern School of Law. While there, he sold furniture to pay for his education.

Being a lawyer really suited Donald but he set his sights high. As his friend told The Nation, Donald didn't have much growing up which meant "acquiring great wealth is a crusade. He’s psychologically predisposed to hoarding." In his case, he wanted to hoard money. When he had enough saved up, Donald started buying and flipping property around Los Angeles.

In 1981 he paid nearly $13 million for the then–San Diego Clippers, $10 million of which was on layaway. The message Donald sent to fans was one of excitement around building up the team. In 1982, Sports Illustrated referred to Donald's time as an owner thus far as the Reign of Error, which included a campaign to boost ticket sales that featured his face on various billboards. At this time, his net worth was estimated to be about $300 million.