San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Warriors’ Durant still has QB’s back
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A day after news broke that Colin Kaepernick had settled his collusion case against the NFL, Warriors forward Kevin Durant reiterated his support for the former 49ers quarterback.
“I think it’s good for athletes to stand up for what they believe in,” Durant said Saturday during his All-Star Weekend media availability. “A lot of people don’t agree with what Kap is doing, but I do, and I’m going to stand behind him and support him.”
Kaepernick drew attention during the 2016 season when he knelt during the national anthem to protest social injustice. It kick-started a movement, with other NFL players — as well as athletes from different sports across the U.S. — joining in solidarity.
Kaepernick has not been on an NFL roster since severing his contract with the 49ers in March 2017. Seven months later, Kaepernick filed a grievance under the collective bargaining agreement alleging collusion against signing him to an NFL contract.
Per Yahoo! Sports, a final hearing in Kaepernick’s case against the NFL — in which final evidence would have been presented before an arbitrator — was scheduled for this month. It’s likely Kaepernick and Panthers safety Eric Reid, who joined in filing the grievance, received a financial settlement in exchange for withdrawing their complaint.
Durant and Warriors guard Stephen Curry have long been vocal supporters of Kaepernick. In January 2018, they contributed to Kaepernick’s Million Dollar Pledge.
Curry donated $10,000 to United Playaz, a Bay Area-based violence prevention and youth development organization that has worked with Curry in the past. Durant donated $10,000 to Silicon Valley De-Bug, a media, community-organizing, entrepreneurial and advocacy collective based in San Jose. Kaepernick matched both donations.
Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@ sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron