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Golden State Warriors might visit White House “out of respect for the office”

By Carlos Murillo

OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 04: Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speaks at a press conference prior to Game 2 of the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 4, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JUNE 04: Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speaks at a press conference prior to Game 2 of the 2017 NBA Finals at ORACLE Arena on June 4, 2017 in Oakland, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors haven’t decided on whether or not they would accept an invitation to the White House, according to Steve Kerr.

The Golden State Warriors visited the White House after winning the 2015 NBA championship. They hung out and joked with President Barack Obama. Stephen Curry developed a friendship with the 44th Commander-in-Chief.

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Immediately after the 2017 Finals, there were stories that the Warriors would decline an invitation to the White House. Matt Barnes refused to answer the question at the championship parade. Curry said that he would probably not go. Andre Iguodala said “hell nah” to the idea.

Steve Kerr has been a vocal opponent of Donald Trump’s administration. Time and time again he’s spoken out about issues in the country. Despite that, he said the Warriors might consider accepting an invitation to the White House.

Kerr was on ESPN Chicago’s Waddle and Silvy show and the topic came up. Here’s what he said (via Deadspin):

"We haven’t been invited. And so if we’re invited, we’ll definitely have a discussion. You know, I’ve been outspoken about Trump, our players have been as well. But my whole thing is—I would want to talk to the team and entertain the idea of going out of respect for the institution, out of respect for the office itself, and maybe as a good gesture to the rest of the country that is so divided right now that maybe it’s like, hey, let’s actually, you know, try to do something that’s unifying, whether you like the person in the office or not. Let’s look at it from a different perspective. So that would be the conversation that I would have with our guys, and ultimately it would be their decision, you know, because it’s about them."

He added:

"But I think there’s just different ways of looking at it, and what shocks me is just how divided our country is. And since that story came out about whether we’d go to the White House or not, there was a petition—like 50,000 people signed a petition begging us not to go. There are people on the other side who are crushing us, saying that we’re being disrespectful of the office and we should go and we’re not being loyal Americans, and we haven’t even been invited. It’s like, sit back. And I can’t even believe how angry people on both sides are, and then I think, as I said, I think more about—instead of just being angry, what can we do to try to help bring people together in this country, because that’s ultimately going to be a huge factor in our country’s ability to heal and move forward…."

He continued:

"“…It’s important to me that there’s a respect for the office and for the institution, and that’s why I would consider going. But I will be perfectly blunt and I know I’ll anger people by saying this, but I want the man who’s sitting in the office to respect that office, too, and that means being above the tweeting and the nasty personal insults and trying to unify the country instead of trying to divide us, and I feel like he’s trying to divide us…. When you’re sitting in that office, it’s really your responsibility to try to unify, and that’s where our players and I have had a difficult time trying to reconcile all this stuff."

It’s an interesting thought. Kerr is right though. No matter what he and the team choose, someone will be very upset.

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Kerr and the Warriors are all very intelligent and in-touch with social justice issues that are happening in the world. The 2016 Coach of the Year makes sure to be open with his team. That’s why the Warriors are such a great basketball team–because they have constant communication.

There’s no guarantee that Golden State will even get an invitation. The White House’s current resident doesn’t take criticism very well and he might refuse to even continue the tradition with a team full of black men who have spoken out against him.

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