OAKLAND —Stephen Curry offered support to Colin Kaepernick’s protests but said he plans to stand during the playing of the national anthem before NBA games this season.
“I respect everybody’s voice, everybody’s platform and their opportunity and right to protest, what they feel in their heart is something they want to change,” Curry said Monday during the Warriors’ media day.
“I’ve said that plenty of times about Colin and I respect what he is doing. I hope all the spotlight is on his message.”
Kaepernick sat during the national anthem during 49ers’ exhibition games, and now kneels quietly in protest of the treatment of African-American citizens.
New Warrior Kevin Durant echoed Curry’s thoughts.
“I think we’re moving forward. Just having that conversation is great for our country,” Durant said. “I’m very proud of him.”
Teammates Draymond Green and Klay Thompson also said they are supportive of the movement Kaepernick spawned, and impressed with the courage it required to speak first. Both players said they have no plans to sit or offer protests during the national anthem.
“I respect Colin because he took a stand that he knew would probably create some controversy and he didn’t care,” Green said. “Sometimes controversy is needed in order to get his point across. My question is what’s next now that the conversation has started?
“Nobody want to talk about the real problem. They want to talk about what he’s doing and not the real problem. There’s lives being taken and they want to criticize what Colin’s doing.
“I think that’s pretty ridiculous, to be honest.”
A volatile atmosphere became more explosive after the police shooting death last week of Keith Lamont Smith, 43, an unarmed African-American in Charlotte, N.C.
Curry said it was difficult to watch as protests in reaction to the shooting grew violent last week in his hometown and offered his prayers to everyone affected.
“You don’t want to ever be violent,” Curry said. “The first night in Charlotte it turned that way. It’s tough to see that, especially growing up in that town. That’s not what we’re about. As it went forward, everything was very constructive and productive.”
Curry said he has met Kaepernick just once, briefly, but said he would love the chance to sit down with him and discuss his motivations and the ideas that have been generated by the protest movement he triggered.
“I’ve always said I respect Colin because he took a bold step to keep the conversation going,” Curry said. “I plan on standing. But like I said, there are ways that everybody can affect the mindset of people around them and the awareness of what’s going around them without kneeling in that moment with the national anthem playing.”
