There's no doubt in Steve Kerr's mind that Steph Curry is the leader the Warriors need right now.
With veteran forward Draymond Green suspended indefinitely for striking Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkić in the Warriors' loss on Tuesday, Golden State has hit yet another speedbump on its quest to get back on track after an inconsistent start to the 2023-24 NBA season.
Green's indefinite absence prompted a wide range of takes about the current state of the Warriors, including ESPN's Stephen A. Smith questioning Curry's role as a leader in the midst of the All-NBA forward's repeated altercations.
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SIGN UP HERE While speaking to the media on Thursday before the Warriors' matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, Kerr ripped into the criticism about Curry, not mincing his words while addressing anyone who doubts the superstar's leadership ability.
"We talk every single day, that's what the season is about," Kerr told reporters. "That's what being a team is about. Collaborating, sharing thoughts and sharing ideas, trying to keep everybody confident and moving forward and motivated. But Steph is as good of a leader as I've ever been around.
"That guy is an amazing human being and what he's done the past decade in leading this team through all of the ups and downs and the turmoil. For anybody to question Steph Curry's leadership, it's kind of sickening to me. And I saw some of that yesterday, it was disgusting. We're talking about one of the finest human beings I have ever been around. But that's the climate that we live in."
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Kerr elaborated that while he understands the modern state of sports discourse, questioning the leadership of a player like Curry is beyond the pale of run-of-the-mill criticisms athletes are expected to face.
"Part of all of this is the climate we live in and the arrows that are slung at these guys and the judgement, the criticism," Kerr explained. "That's fine, it's part of it, but it's not easy. We're all human beings. And so that's a big part of the job these days as a professional athlete, you have to deal with everything and you have to accept it. But there are times when you kind of have to say 'Really? Like that's the angle you're going to take? You're going to question Steph Curry's leadership? Really, we're going to do that?' Think about that. Think about that."
Curry has been the focal point of one of the greatest runs in professional sports history during his storied career in the NBA. Revered as a player and as a teammate, Curry has more than earned the reputation that led Kerr to be so frustrated with any notion that the star point guard is anything less than a phenomenal leader.