Steve Kerr is the guest on the latest episode of Spotify’s Jemele Hill is Unbothered podcast. The conversation covers a lot of ground including the NBA Playoffs, players speaking out for social justice causes, and what his team will do with the number 2 pick in the NBA Draft.
One thing that Hill and the Golden State Warriors coach have in common is that both of them have been vocally critical of Donald Trump since the former reality TV star became president. And Trump has noticed and called out both of them on social media.
“It felt so, kind of slimy, you know, it’s like really, like we got – you don’t have anything bigger on the agenda today?” Kerr said before noting that the President’s response to his comments regarding the NBA’s relationship with China weren’t entirely incorrect.
“I was also kind of ashamed because his comments came on the heels of the discussion about China after Daryl Morey comments. And it was probably the one time in my career where I was very unsure about what I should say. And I felt, I didn’t feel pressured by anybody, but I felt sort of cornered, um, by my own circumstances in terms of how I should respond and my response was terrible. And so in some ways I deserve the criticism that I got, but not really from the President. There was especially on the China issue – because we can go into all kinds of detail about his relationship with the Chinese government and the trade agreement. We could talk about all of that. There’s plenty to discuss on that front if he wanted to go in that direction.”
Kerr noted that some of the President’s supporters have not stopped at the issue of China. They have continued to harass the Warriors coach on Twitter. He used an example of the reaction to a local organization he supports in Oakland called Live Free.
A recent goal of Live Free was to get police officers off of the campuses of Oakland public schools and create a more welcoming environment for students and families. Kerr said that his support of the organization was painted by many of his conservative critics on social media as part of a radical, leftist agenda.
“I’ve never made a comment about defunding the police. And in fact, I think it’s a terribly misleading phrase to say defund the police. Uh, I was referring to schools, right, and the Oakland city school in particular, after listening to parents and teachers. But this is the kind of nuance and complexity that gets lost in today’s world. So I’m taking all kinds of shit right now for being the guy who wants to defund the police. I happen to think the police should be reimagined, not defunded.”
Hill wanted to get Kerr’s take on the broadcasting world. Before making the move into coaching, Kerr was a game analyst for TNT. His forward Draymond Green took his first steps into the media space during the NBA restart. Hill asked if Kerr saw a future in broadcasting for Green.
“He’s a natural – he will be whenever he wants – he’ll be a network analyst and he’ll do it for as long as he wants. He’s just really good. He knows the game. He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever been around and he can talk. So it’s a pretty good combination.”
Kerr would go on to say he sees Green following a similar path as Charles Barkley. He noted that while Barkley is recognized as one of the great basketball players ever, he might be better as a broadcaster. Kerr says he wouldn’t be surprised if we talk the same way about Draymond Green when his playing days are done.
