TORONTO – Steve Kerr has never been shy about making political statements.
Game 2 of the NBA Finals was no different for the head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
Kerr sported a black T-shirt at his media availability about 90 minutes before Sunday’s tip-off with the slogan “Vote For Our Lives” in response to the latest mass shooting in the United States.
A gunman killed 12 people at a government building in Virginia Beach on Friday before dying in a shootout with police.
“The shirt is a reminder that the only way we can get out of this mess is to actually vote, and to vote for people who are going to be willing to create some change in our gun laws in our country,” said Kerr, who has been outspoken about U.S. President Donald Trump and gun violence in the U.S. “The young generation, the March For Our Lives generation, has really inspired me.
“So I offer my support to them and to all young people, and hope that we can create a change where we don’t all have to walk around scared we’re going to get shot in our country.”
Kerr, whose father was assassinated in Lebanon in 1984, and the Warriors didn’t make the customary White House visit following their title victories in 2017 and 2018, but did meet President Barack Obama in the wake of Golden State’s 2015 win.
“That was quite a thrill,” said Kerr, whose Warriors lost Game 1 of the Finals 118-109 to the Raptors. “It’s a treat to experience that.”
Obama, who was in Ottawa earlier this week for a speaking engagement, attended Game 2 at Scotiabank Arena. The former president sat in the lower bowl alongside NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
“I wasn’t aware that he was coming until a little while ago,” Kerr said of Obama.
A fan of soccer club Liverpool, Kerr was also asked by an English reporter for his “expert analysis” on the team’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham in Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final in Madrid.
“Well, I’m not an expert, so I can’t offer an expert analysis, but my novice analysis was it was not a particularly well-played game,” Kerr said with a smile. “But again, the result was the desired one for Liverpool fans.
“It reminded me of our Game 1. We had nine, 10 days off. They had almost three weeks off. Everybody on both sides looked a little rusty, and our Game 1 felt that way. When you’ve been off for a little bit, you lose your edge and you’re just not as sharp.”
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