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Golden State Warriors' coach Steve Kerr speaks out about President Trump

Keith Allison, Hanover, MD
/
Wikimedia Commons
Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr

 

The Golden State Warriors made a political statement over the weekend, when superstar Steph Curry said he wouldn’t join a celebration at the White House if the team received the traditional championship invitation.

That led President Donald Trump to Tweetthat the Warriors wouldn’t be invited, anyway. There’s been plenty of back and forth since then, including mass demonstrations before sporting events all across the United States.

On Sunday, Warriors coach Steve Kerr published an open letter to President Trump in Sports Illustrated. Part of the letter reads, “Internally, we’d discussed whether it’d be possible to just go and meet as private citizens and have a serious, poignant discussion about some of the issues we’re concerned about. But he’s made it hard for any of us to actually enter the White House, because what’s going on is not normal.”

Coach Kerr relayed his words through Sports Illustrated senior writer Chris Ballard, who shares these thoughts with us.

"For him it's about the discourse. So take everything else out, and it's about respect for the office and the way you communicate with people." —Sports Illustrated senior writer Chris Ballard

Hear an extended version of Chris Ballard in conversation with KALW's Ben Trefny about Steve Kerr, the Golden State Warriors, and the increasing involvement of professional athletes in political activism here.

QA.Ballard.FULL_.mp3

 

Crosscurrents