Like Gregg Popovich, Steve Kerr has often stepped up to comment and criticize Donald Trump's policies. But Sunday, when he woke up in Abu Dhabi, he and his players were shocked to learn that the former president of the United States had narrowly escaped a assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
“This is such a demoralizing day for our country, and it's another example not only of our political division, but also of our gun culture.”, reacted the coach of the United States. “A 20-year-old kid with an AR-15 tried to shoot the former president. It’s hard to take it all in and it’s scary to think about what happens next because of the problems that already exist in the country. So it’s a terrible day. Thank God Trump wasn’t shot, but it’s still demoralizing.”
It's all the more troubling for Kerr because his father, a diplomat, was assassinated in Lebanon in the line of duty in 1984. He told ESPN that he and his players have discussed it, and that it further motivates them to project a different image of their country.
“It's a moment when we are very proud to represent our country by wearing USA on our chests and participating in the Olympic Games,” Kerr continues. “We talked to the players about the importance of giving the best of ourselves as human beings to represent our country in a respectful and dignified way. It makes you want to do it even more, because it's really shameful for us to sit here and think about what happened and what's happening in our country.”
