Curry and Kerr delight in Vice President Harris’ visit to Team USA practice Originally appeared in NBC Bay Area Sports
LAS VEGAS – The U.S. men’s basketball team hosted a special guest Tuesday at UNLV following its final training camp practice before its exhibition game against Canada.
Surrounded by Secret Service security members, Vice President Kamala Harris He strolled onto the practice court in a light blue suit alongside Warriors coach Steve Kerr.
Harris, a native of Oakland, walked up to Steph Curry and gave him a brief hug with a FIBA ball in her right hand. She shook hands with players and coaches, addressed the team and took a group photo where Curry stood next to her.
Curry and Harris had a long chat aside after smiling for the cameras.
Vice President Kamala Harris, a Bay Area native and die-hard Warriors fan, met with Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and Team USA today. image.twitter.com/fgApGDm3wT
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 9, 2024
“It was a great reminder of the fact that we’re playing for our country and Vice President Harris was great,” Kerr said. “She told the guys how much she admired them and how they really embodied excellence, and the fact that we’re going there to try to win a gold medal for our country.
“He said it’s a demonstration of our patriotic feeling of being part of something special for our country. I think the kids really listened to every word. It was great.”
As a Lifelong diehard Warriors fanTuesday wasn’t the first time Harris and Kerr had a chance to connect. Kerr joked that it’s a shame Harris’s husband, Doug Emhoff is a fan of the Los Angeles Lakers while enjoying Harris’ basketball knowledge and love for his hometown team.
The only other Warriors representative on Team USA for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics is Curry, who also has I have developed a strong relationship with Harris.. Kerr and Curry, of course, got a chance to get to know President Joe Biden and Harris better when… The warriors visited the White House in January 2023.
“I’ve seen her a lot, since she’s from Oakland, and we’ve been fortunate enough to visit the White House when she was there, but also a few trips to California,” Kerr said. “I’ve seen her a few times. She’s a Warriors fan and loves our team, loves basketball.
“The First Gentleman is a Lakers fan, unfortunately, but we’ll live with that.”
Kevin Durant, during his three years with the Warriors, won back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. He also never visited the White House.
The Warriors didn’t make the trip for what was always an annual honor before former President Donald Trump took office. The team skipped the usual photo op after Durant’s first title as a Warrior, opting instead to spend time with former President Barack Obama in January 2019 before Golden State’s only road game against the Washington Wizards.
“It was great,” Durant said of meeting Harris. “We know we have her support. She’s been working a lot, she’s very busy, but she wanted to come and see us. It’s an honor. I’m glad she was able to come.”
Harris is in Las Vegas for an event that will “highlight the stakes of the election for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities,” according to a statement from the Biden-Harris campaign. She landed around 12:50 p.m. PT and headed to Team USA practice shortly after.
Miami Heat star and Team USA member Bam Adebayo has been selected to the NBA All-Star team three times and to the All-Defensive team five times in his seven-year career. But he’s still waiting for his first visit to the White House and knows Tuesday’s surprise is a moment he won’t soon forget.
“To be able to have her there and talk to us is a wonderful moment,” Adebayo said. “I’ll be able to tell my children’s children about it.”
