President Donald Trump ridiculed Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr on Wednesday after the latter refused to weigh in on the drama between the NBA and the Chinese government.
Kerr, a frequent critic of the president, declined to give an opinion Monday when asked about Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s support for Hong Kong protesters, who have spent months protesting for human rights against China’s oppressive communist regime. (RELATED: James Harden Apologizes To China Over Daryl Morey Tweets)
“The NBA is a different thing. Steve Kerr was so scared to even answer questions,” Trump said. “He will talk about the United States very badly.”
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The NBA has developed a brand as one of the most progressive sports league in the U.S., but has been called out for refusing to speak up against China’s human rights violations, which include the internment of Chinese Muslims and strict censorship of speech. The NBA has established significant business ties with the communist country in recent decades. (RELATED: Elite American Institutions Keep Bowing To Communist China…Over And Over Again)
“They talk badly about the United States, but on China they do not want to say anything bad,” Trump said of the league. “I thought it was sad, actually. It will be very interesting.”
Trump also took a shot at San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich, another frequent critic of the president.
“I watch the way that like Kerr and Popovich and some of the others were pandering to China and yet to our own country it is like they do not respect it, it is like they do not respect it,” Trump said.