One of the things that makes Steve Kerr such a great coach is his ability to own up to his mistakes. This is exactly what the Golden State Warriors head coach did when he admitted how embarrassed his is with how he handled an earlier question about the current relationship between China and the NBA.
Kerr explained his side in a recent appearance on the “Political Breakdown” podcast with Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos:
“That was a really, really uncomfortable position to be in,” Kerr said (h/t Drew Shiller of NBC Sports). “China has been a partner in the NBA — and across America with thousands of companies — so all of a sudden, when the human rights issues really are being exposed and you're asked about it, it's like, ‘Oh, wait a second.'
“I was sort of deer in the headlights when I was asked about it. And I think it caught a lot of us by surprise. I handled it horribly. I regret my answer to this day. I sort of gave it ‘no comment,' and then said something else. It was really embarrassing.”
Steve Kerr did not make any excuses about his earlier statement — or lack thereof — and instead, expressed his regret on the same. He also went on to say that in his mind, it is his responsibility to be more conscious about these types of issues, given how he is currently seen as a public figure.
“But that's part of the deal when you're part of the public eye and you choose to speak out,” he added. “You have to take that. You gotta be ready. You're gonna screw up sometimes.”
The NBA has received criticism for its alleged involvement in a number of Chinese basketball camps stationed in the communist nation. These camps reportedly failed to adhere to basic human rights laws, as exposed by a number of American coaches who took part in the program. The league has denied any knowledge of the same, and has since reiterated how they have cut ties with these camps for some time now.
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