Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spoke on Monday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, expressing his support for Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz. Kerr recently led the U.S. men’s basketball team to a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, adding to his impressive resume that includes four NBA championships as a coach and five as a player.
During his address, Kerr emphasized the importance of leadership qualities such as dignity, truthfulness, and care for those being led. He stated, “If you look for those qualities in your friends or a boss or an employee or your child’s teacher or your mayor, then shouldn’t you want those same qualities in your president? With Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, I see all those qualities.”
He highlighted that true leadership fosters unity rather than division, celebrating a common purpose. Kerr concluded his speech with a nod to the Warriors’ star player, Steph Curry, saying, “After the election results are tallied, we can — in the words of the great Steph Curry — we can tell Donald Trump, ‘Night, night.’”
Kerr’s endorsement of the Democratic ticket was expected, as he has been an outspoken liberal voice in sports for many years. He has previously exchanged barbs with Trump, notably in 2019 when Trump criticized him for not initially commenting on a controversial tweet related to Hong Kong’s protests.
Kerr also reflected on the potential backlash sports figures may face for getting involved in politics, acknowledging that he anticipated negative reactions. However, he felt it was necessary to speak out during such a significant election.