Golden State Warriors Head coach Steve Kerr spoke on the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, the same venue where he won three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls. Fresh off a trip to Paris, where he coached the U.S. men’s basketball team to its 17th Olympic gold medal, Kerr told an audience gathered to support Vice President Kamala Harris that he couldn’t think of a “better metaphor for what this country stands for” than her Olympic triumph.
“Think of what our team of 12 Americans accomplished in Paris, setting aside our rivalries to represent our country,” Kerr said. “Now imagine what we can do with all 330 million of us playing on the same team. Not as Democrats, not as Republicans, not as Libertarians, but as Americans who understand that the greatness of this nation comes not from any one of us, but from each of us doing our part to build a more perfect union.”
In a quick nod to his election night hopes, Kerr joked that — in the words of Warriors star center and Team USA hero Steph Curry — “after the results are tallied” we can “say good night to Donald Trump,” referring to one of Curry’s signature celebrations.
The Warriors coach also poked fun at Tim Walz's record as a high school football coach. “By the way, from coach to coach, that guy is great. Although I have to say that Coach Walz was very reliant on the blitz in '99 against Mankato East. You had a strong defense.”
Kerr, who has won nine championships combined as a player and coach, endorsed President Joe Biden during his 2020 presidential bid and has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump. Earlier this month, Kerr told reporters that Harris is “a great candidate and I will support her.”
Kerr praised Harris and Vice President Walz in his speech to the conference. “Leaders have to have dignity, I think leaders have to tell the truth, I think leaders have to be able to laugh at themselves, I think leaders have to care about and love the people they lead, and I think leaders have to have knowledge and experience — but with the full understanding that none of us have all the answers. In fact, some of the best answers often come from the people on the team,” Kerr said.
“With Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, I see all of those qualities,” Kerr added.
