Steve Kerr is taking some heat for his comments about the ongoing controversy involving the NBA and China. The Golden State Warriors head coach has been quick to comment on social issues in the past, but when asked about the NBA-China relationship he was quiet.
That led to some people calling out Kerr for staying silent about the issue while being outspoken about the president in the past, but he took the time to explain his decision to give a lengthy answer on the subject.
“Actually, I don’t. It’s a really bizarre international story and a lot of us don’t know what to make of it. So it’s something I’m reading about just like everybody is but I’m not going to comment further than that,” Kerr told reporters. “What I’ve found is that it’s easy to speak on issues that I’m passionate about and that I feel like I’m well-versed on and I’ve found that it makes the most sense to stick to topics that fall in that category. So I try to keep my comments to those things and so it’s not difficult. It’s more I’m just trying to learn.
“My brother in law is actually a Chinese history professor and I emailed him today to tell me what I should be learning about all this and what’s happening and so I’m trying to learn just like everybody else.”
While it is understandable that people may look to Kerr to share his thoughts on an important issue that has led to China pulling all NBA preseason games from television after Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey voiced his support for Hong Kong protestors, it is also easy to respect Kerr’s decision to educate himself on the topic before sharing opinions that could further damage any relationship between the league and China.
Should Kerr be more outspoken? Sound off in the comments section with your thoughts.