EXCLUSIVE
Donald Sterling's wife came out swinging ... saying she does NOT share the racist views of her husband.
Shelly Sterling says "Our family is devastated by the racist comments made by my estranged husband. My children and I do not share these despicable views or prejudices."
Shelly goes on ... We will not let one man's small-mindedness poison the spirit of the fans and accomplishments of the team in the city we love."
And Shelly says, "We are doing everything in our power to stand by and support our Clippers team."
It's worth noting ... Shelly has been estranged from Donald for years, and we've learned she's retained top divorce attorney Laura Wasser, so it seems divorce is imminent.