Walking The Walk: Coach Steve Kerr gives The Courier exclusive interview

In a society where people have become afraid to use their celebrity to bring attention to politics or social causes, it’s refreshing to see someone like U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball and Golden State Warriors Coach Steve Kerr take an interest in these areas.

Kerr not only spoke at this year’s Democratic National Convention endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, but he also is active with Brady United, which works to prevent gun violence.

“I feel like I should use my platform for anything that is important to the country, whether it is gun violence prevention or keeping our country moving forward by endorsing Harris,” Kerr told The Courier, Eco-Latino.

When speaking at the Democratic National Convention, he made this clear:

“I know very well that speaking out about politics these days comes with risks. I can see the shut up and whistles tweets being fired off as we speak, but I also knew as soon as I was asked that it was too important as an American citizen not to speak up in an election of this magnitude. The reason I said yes to speaking here tonight is that as a coach and former player, as a husband, a son, a father, even a grandfather and as an American, I believe in a certain kind of leadership.

“I believe that leaders must display dignity. I believe that leaders must tell the truth. I believe that leaders should be able to laugh at themselves. I believe leaders must care for and love the people they are leading. I believe leaders must possess knowledge and expertise, but with the full awareness that none of us has all the answers. And, in fact, some of the best answers often come from members of the team and if you look for those qualities in your friends, or your boss, or an employee, or your child’s teacher, or your mayor, then shouldn’t you want those same qualities in your president?”

Kerr’s father, Malcolm Kerr Ph.D., was killed by Islamic Jihad in 1984 when he was president of American University in Beirut, and Kerr was an 18-year-old freshman at the University of Arizona.

So, gun violence is personal to the five-time NBA world champion (Chicago Bull 1996-98, San Antonio Spurs (1999 and 2003) and four-time NBA world championship coach of the Golden State Warriors (2015,2017-2018).

“My childhood gave me a world view that I wouldn't have otherwise had,” Kerr told The Courier. “It gave me the perspective that we are all actually alike, regardless of how we are raised or how we live.”

Born in Beirut, Kerr – who just won gold as head coach of the USA Men’s Basketball Team in Paris – traveled the world as a youth and says he enjoys his international platform as an adult.

“Coaching USAB is a lot about diplomacy and making sure we are representing our country well,” said Kerr, who served as an assistant coach for gold-winning Team USA in Tokyo in 2020.

In his role as a spokesperson for Brady United, he’s stated:

“As a parent and a gun violence survivor myself, this fight is personal. When I see gun violence in the news, I can't help but think about my father, who was killed in a senseless act of gun violence when I was just 18. And I can't help but think of my own kids and grandkids and the danger they're in every single day.

“All across the country, kids are growing up in fear. They're learning how to muffle the sounds of their crying, so a shooter won't be able to hear them, what furniture to use to barricade the doors, and where to hide in case someone comes into the classroom with a weapon of war.”

This is why Kerr said he will lend his influence to Vice President Harris and Gov. Walz until November to help them win the White House.

“I will be fundraising and doing media to try to increase Harris' chances to win,” Kerr told The Courier.

But he explained his reasons best at the DNC.

“Think about what our team achieved with 12 Americans in Paris putting aside rivalries to represent our country. Now imagine what we could do with all 330 million of us playing on the same team,” he said at the convention. “Not as Democrats, not as Republicans, not as Libertarians, but as Americans who know the greatness of this nation doesn’t come from any one of us, but from each of doing our part to build a more perfect union.”

Watch his full DNC speech here: Steve Kerr full speech at 2024 DNC (Aug. 19, 2024) (youtube.com)

Jason A. Caffey Sr. was a Chicago Bulls teammate of Steve Kerr, and they remain personal friends.