Kerr amused, but not ready to run for office
Idea of a Popovich-Kerr ticket has captured fans’ fancy through web campaign
SAN ANTONIO >> The gesture appealed to Warriors coach Steve Kerr in many ways.
It provided a glimpse of his close relationship with Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. It captured their sense of humor. And it symbolized their frustrations with President Donald Trump.
Earlier this year, Popovich’s daughter mailed Kerr a care package featuring two T-shirts, a few coffee mugs and a tote bag. Emblazoned on each item: a presidential campaign slogan dubbed “PopovichKerr 2020.”
Kerr found it “hilarious” that PopovichKerr2020. com sells various memorabilia available for presidential campaigns that illustrator Matthew Hollister designed. Kerr said he has a handful of friends who have worn the T-shirt, including Lakers coach and former Warriors assistant Luke Walton. Walton added, “Steve should run for office.”
Kerr argued Pop would bring “honesty and integrity” to the White House. Despite following current events closely and frequently criticizing Trump for his divisive rhetoric, however, Kerr withdrew his candidacy.
“I don’t think I would vote for myself,” Kerr joked. “I would definitely vote for Pop.”
Will a campaign start before a nationally televised audience when the Warriors (5-3) play on
Thursday against the Spurs (4-3)? Warriors guard Stephen Curry, another outspoken critic of Trump, would have Popovich’s vote because he is “is great for the NBA and would be even better for the country.”
The founder of PopovichKerr2020.com, which requested anonymity out of a preference for privacy during a politically divisive time, said there are no plans to fund an actual Popovich-Kerr ticket.
The website’s net proceeds benefit the ACLU, Council on American-Islamic Relations, International Rescue Committee, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and Union of Concerned Scientists. The founder said the site has sold enough merchandise to donate $25,000 across those six charities.
“We made it totally tongue-in-cheek as a way to recognize those guys and the NBA and try to raise some money for a good cause,” said the website’s founder. “We never would’ve done this for profit. It would feel wrong, particularly in this kind of political climate to grift off people’s frustrations and their desire for a better executive branch.”
Despite his criticisms of Trump and interest in current events, Kerr called himself a “sports addict.”
“People should be focusing more on how they can help their fellow American more than anything,” Kerr said. “Every time I say anything, everyone screams, ‘Liberal this, liberal that.’ And generally speaking, I don’t really talk about policy.”
Instead, Kerr has addressed Trump’s rhetoric that he has deemed offensive to minorities, Muslims, the LGBT community, women and the handicapped. Kerr critiqued Trump for publicly disinviting the Warriors from a customary White House visit for winning the 2017 NBA championship after the organization openly mulled whether they would go.
“What needs to trump everything, no pun intended, is the dignity of the office and compassion toward your fellow man,” Kerr said. “It’d be good for everybody to focus on what they can do to contribute.” UNWELCOME RECEPTION >> Warriors center Zaza Pachulia expects to hear boos on Thursday in San Antonio. It will mark his return here after Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard suffered a playoff-ending ankle injury after landing on Pachulia’s foot in Game 1 of the 2017 Western Conference finals.
Pachulia heard worse from hostile crowds when he played in the Turkish Basketball League during the 2011 NBA lockout.
“Booing is nothing compared to that. They were throwing things on the court and waiting outside of the bus and throwing stones at the bus,” Pachulia said. “It was crazy.”
Pachulia said he “moved on,” but he took exception to criticisms that he injured Leonard on purpose.
“After the closeout, maybe I was too close to him. But it was stupid when people said it was on purpose,” Pachulia said. “There’s no way you can work on that and think about it.”