Warriors head coach Steve Kerr endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz, in a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Monday.
“I know full well that talking about politics these days is risky,” Kerr said. “I can see the ‘shut up and hiss’ tweets being thrown around right now. But I also knew as soon as I was asked the question that it was too important for me, as an American citizen, not to speak out in an election of this magnitude.”
Kerr is a vocal advocate for gun safety legislation and other social issues and causes. He has publicly criticized former President Donald Trump and supported President Joe Biden in the 2020 general election.
While addressing a stadium full of politicians is unfamiliar territory for the head coach, the United Center was a familiar setting. As Kerr took the stage, highlights of his game-winning shot in the same arena in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals were playing on big screens.
“It’s really cool to be back here at the United Center,” Kerr began. “As you all know, a lot of good things happened in this building, especially in the ’90s. You kids, Google ‘Michael Jordan’ and you can read all about it.”
A few days after the Olympics, Kerr said, he was invited to speak at the DNC. He explained that as a husband, son, father and American citizen, he couldn’t turn down the opportunity to make his voice heard.
While there’s always a backlash when sports figures talk politics — as Kerr alluded to — sports and politics are constantly intertwined. At the Republican National Convention earlier this summer, former wrestler Hulk Hogan and UFC CEO Dana White each spoke. Former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker lost his 2022 Senate race, and former Dodger Steve Garvey is currently running for a Senate seat in California.
Kerr spoke less than 10 minutes after Harris’ opening remarks. The Oakland native is scheduled to deliver a full speech Thursday night. Harris, the Democratic nominee, is the former San Francisco district attorney, California attorney general and U.S. senator.
Kerr’s DNC speech focused primarily on unifying themes based on his experience as coach of the U.S. team that won gold at the Paris Olympics earlier this month. He spoke of coming together as a more perfect union, not divided by party lines, but as teammates.
He did so while making it very clear which candidate in the 2024 presidential election represents this value.
“I think leaders need to have dignity,” Kerr said. “I think leaders need to tell the truth. I think leaders need to care and love the people they lead. I think leaders need to have knowledge and expertise, but with the full understanding that none of us has all the answers. And if you look for those qualities in your friends, your boss, an employee, your child’s teacher or your mayor, shouldn’t you look for those same qualities in your president? And when you think about it that way, there’s no competition.”
The NBA is not hosting games on Election Day, which this year falls on Nov. 5. In the meantime, Kerr has pledged to help people vote for Harris and Walz.
“And when the results are counted that night, we can say to Donald Trump, in the words of the great Stephen Curry, ‘Good night.'”
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