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Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr echoed the team's overall sentiment on the controversy that their minority owner, Chamath Palihapitiya, was recently involved in.
Palihapitiya made headlines recently for his controversial and insensitive comments about the Uyghur concentration camps in China. The issue has gained global attention in recent weeks because of the massive abuses in the said camps, but the Warriors co-owner appeared to undermine the problm.
“Nobody cares about what’s happening to the Uyghurs, okay? I’m telling you a very hard ugly truth. Of all the things I care about, yes it is below my line,” Palihapitiya said during a recent episode of the All-In podcast.
The Warriors have since addressed the issue, noting that Chamath Palihapitiya has no day-to-day functions in the organization and that his views don't reflect that of the organization. Steve Kerr reiterated that stance on Tuesday prior to their game against the Detroit Pistons.
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“He doesn't speak for our organization. All of us within the organization feel very strongly about our values,” Kerr said of Palihapitiya, per Connor Letourneau of San Francisco Chronicle.
For what it's worth, Palihapitiya has since apologized for his comments and clarified that his belief is human rights matter anywhere in the world.
“In re-listening to this week’s podcast, I recognize that I come across as lacking empathy. I acknowledge that entirely. As a refugee, my family fled a country with its own set of human rights issues so this is something that is very much a part of my lived experience,” the Warriors' minority owner explained.
“To be clear, my belief is that human rights matter, whether in China, the United States, or elsewhere. Full stop.”
The Warriors have been a leading organization in making social changes, with the likes of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Steve Kerr himself advocating for social justice and human rights. With that said, it is understandable why it's such a big issue that a part-owner of the team shared some rather controversial views that are against the values the team fosters.
