Warriors’ Kerr labels US action on gun control ‘pathetic’ in emotional pre-game speech

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr refused to talk about basketball before his team’s playoff game against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday night, instead delivering a passionate speech condemning gun violence in the United States.

His team played Game 4 of the NBA Eastern Conference final in Texas, where earlier in the day at least 21 people, including 18 children, had been killed in a school shooting. Kerr is a long-time advocate of gun control. His father was shot dead in a terrorist attack in Beirut in 1984.

“When are we going to do something,” Kerr shouted at his pre-game press conference. “I’m tired. I am so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there. I am so tired of the, excuse me, I am sorry, I am tired of the moments of silence. Enough!”

Steve Kerr on today's tragic shooting in Uvalde, Texas. pic.twitter.com/lsJ8RzPcmC

Kerr has repeatedly backed a bill that would require tighter background checks on people buying firearms. The bill passed the US House of Representatives in 2021 but did not get to the Senate.

Kerr looked into the camera before addressing the Senate minority leader, Mitch McConnell. “I ask you, Mitch McConnell, I ask all of you senators who refuse to do anything about the violence and school shootings and supermarket shootings. I ask you: Are you going to put your own desire for power ahead of the lives of our children and our elderly and our churchgoers? Because that’s what it looks like. It’s what we do every week.”

Before he left the press conference, Kerr slammed his fists against the table and delivered a final message. “It’s pathetic. I’ve had enough,” he said.

Mavericks coach Jason Kidd also spoke about the shooting in his pre-game