Fed-up Warriors coach Steve Kerr speaks about gun violence before NBA showdown in Dallas – New York Daily News

Steve Kerr knows there are more important things than NBA championships.

Kerr’s Golden State Warriors were playing the Dallas Mavericks Tuesday knowing a victory would earn them a sweep of their Western Conference series and a spot in the NBA Finals. But the usually even-tempered coach first addressed gun violence before taking the court in Texas, where a gunman killed 18 elementary school students and at least one teacher before himself being shot dead.

Kerr started by telling reporters he was in no mood to speak about basketball 10 days after 10 shoppers were fatally shot in a Buffalo supermarket and a few hours and at least 19 people were killed 400 miles away in Uvalde, Texas.

“When are we going to do something?” an emotional Kerr demanded shorty after taking his seat.

“I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there — I’m tired of the moments of silence,” he said pounding the desk in front of him. “Enough!”

Kerr urged senators to take action and put the lives of Americans ahead of their own political ambitions.

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“We can’t get numb to this!” he said. “We can’t just sit here, read about it, have a moment of silence, and yell, ‘Go Dubs! Come on Mavs, let’s go!’”

Among Kerr’s complaints is that some members of Congress are resistant to universal background checks that would be popular among the general population.

“It’s pathetic!” Kerr said. “I’ve had enough.”

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Kerr, who asked those who saw his video to think about how they’d feel if one of their loved ones had been killed in Texas Tuesday, comes from a family all too familiar with gun violence. When he was a freshman basketball player at the University of Arizona, his father was shot dead while working as an educator in Lebanon.

Warriors star Stephen Curry showed support for his coach on Twitter.

“Watch this as much as you watch the game tonight,” he wrote alongside video of Kerr’s stirring speech.

Los Angeles Lakers star and Warriors rival LeBron James also tweeted Kerr’s video and voiced support.