President Donald Trump isn't done with Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Trump tweeted disparaging comments about Kerr late Friday, one day after Kerr again declined to voice a strong opinion on the dispute between the NBA and the Chinese government.
Kerr told reporters Thursday that he will continue to limit his commentary to topics with which he is familiar. The chief executive didn't like that answer; he tweeted that Kerr "chocked" (sic).
MORE: The Daryl Morey controversy, explained
So funny to watch Steve Kerr grovel and pander when asked a simple question about China. He chocked, and looks weak and pathetic. Don’t want him at the White House!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 12, 2019
The White House jab is likely a reference to Kerr saying he has met with the five presidents who served immediately before Trump, beginning with Ronald Reagan in 1984. An opportunity for No. 6 went away in 2017 when the Warriors were disinvited by Trump after the Warriors won the NBA championship. Star guard Stephen Curry had expressed reservations about making the visit. Kerr backed Curry and the team for not wanting to go to Washington, saying it was a "human respect issue."
"We see what President Trump does with his words, with his actions, and it's difficult to reconcile that and just say we'll put all that aside," Kerr told USA Today.
Trump vs. Kerr was revived Wednesday when Trump ripped Kerr and Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for not condemning the communist Chinese regime, which retaliated against the league after Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for pro-democracy demonstrators in Hong Kong.
In Kerr's response Thursday, he again lamented what he saw as a collapse of decorum from the office of the president.
"All I could think of (Wednesday) night was the contrast of what has happened in 35 years," Kerr said. "There was no regard for whose side you were on politically, political party, anything like that. It was just, you were an American. The office held such dignity and respect. Both from the people who were visiting and especially the people who sat inside it. It’s just sad it’s come crashing down. That we are now living this."
