Warriors lend voices to political discourse
Coach, players take pride in speaking their minds, unafraid of consequences
The Golden State Warriors lead the NBA in wins, points and public criticisms of President Donald J. Trump.
They invited the president’s ire when they, the reigning champions, declined a presumptive invitation to visit the White House. They rejected his vitriol over national anthem protests to galvanize support for quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
On Veterans Day, Stephen Curry, a two-time Most Valuable Player and idol to basketball’s youngest fans, furthered his support for player protests with an essay.
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Kevin Durant, another MVP, told the Mercury News “we’re in a dark place as a nation,” and athletes have the opportunity to lead “people into the right direction.”
Rather than brush past issues, the Warriors have settled at the center of a Venn diagram between politics and sports.
“Obviously, the last year’s been centered around the White House visit and Trump’s antics,” said Curry, whom Trump referenced in a tweet that withdrew an invitation to the Warriors. “We’re gonna be heard loud and clear on that one.”
The Warriors have flourished by passing the ball nearly 600 more times than any other team. They share opinions less frequently but just as willingly, which has made them the most politically outspoken team in sports.
“It’s something I’m proud of,” coach Steve Kerr said. “Especially the way our guys handle themselves. They speak when they feel it’s important. They’re not spouting off all the time. When the time calls for it, our guys are saying what comes from their heart.”
Kerr at the forefront
Kerr has led by example with his social stances and opposition to Trump. He compared the political climate with the way the civil rights movement inspired Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
“A lot of issues are really important to address right now,” Kerr said. “Dysfunction in our government, the lack of decorum in public speaking and diplomacy, it’s potentially incredibly damaging to our country. The times seem to be calling for people to stand up and say something.
“Obviously, this nationalistic fervor in this country, led by our president, tries to portray people like Colin Kaepernick as unpatriotic or anti-military. Steph wrote this really thoughtful column that it’s actually the opposite.”
“Coach Kerr’s unashamed about it,” Curry said. “Most of the players on this team who have an opinion aren’t ashamed about it.”
Although team owners and executives often say they support players who express their beliefs respectfully, a culture develops that discourages players from standing out. The Warriors invite political conversations.
“They should speak their minds and be active,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “I love the way they think.
“And they’re the champions. They should have a voice.”
Winning engenders some entitlement, but Golden State players have suggested they would not be so openly opinionated were they on another team.
David West, a 15-year veteran, said his first team, the 2003-04 New Orleans Hornets, did not promote openness.
Despite not being “a real big politic guy,” Durant said last summer he “never thought about going” for a White House visit. “I just don’t agree with our president who’s in office right now.”
“The fact that it’s been established that we’re not afraid to speak out makes our players more comfortable doing so,” Kerr said.
Rockets center Tarik Black is hesitant to broadcast his politics because he worries about how media will relay his position.
The Warriors, who have won with record-setting shooting rates, fire away with confidence.
“We kinda just live with the feedback, the positive or negative,” Curry said.
The Warriors’ reputation for candor did not develop by design. Pre-emptively boycotting a White House tradition thrust the team into a different spotlight, but players continued political dialogue whenever it sparked.
“It’s just the nature of us as individuals,” West said. “We’ve got guys who read around here, who are plugged into the world outside of this world.” Willing role model
West remembered at 12 years old hearing NBA Hall of Fame forward Charles Barkley say: “I am not a role model.”
He rejects the statement that he has the same influence as Barkley.
“You understand the type of impact we have on young people,” West said. “At times we’re compelled to be a bit more outspoken about certain things, but the consensus is that we need to show that we care, that we understand the world outside of our own.
“It’s not something as a group we’ve decided to be or do, but we just accept who we are individually, and somehow it’s worked out as a collective.”
Kerr said he has been “more amused” than flattered at suggestions he should run for president on a ticket with San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich.
“I actually would vote for Pop,” Kerr said. “He would be an unbelievable president. And it has been established that anybody can run for president.”