The Golden State Warriors were honored at the White House to commemorate their championship season a year ago.
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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., right, and his son Connor McCarthy, center, mingle in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016, before a ceremony where President Barack Obama honored the 2015 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors basketball team. “So we’re pretty lucky today, because we’ve got one of those players in the house – Steve Kerr from the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls!”
Kerr, who guided Golden State to a crown in his first season on the sidelines but missed the start of the current campaign due to back surgery, returned only two weeks ago, after the Warriors had opened 39-4, the second-best start in National Basketball Association history, under fill-in Luke Walton. Obama drew laughs for that too.
“You defied the cynics, you accomplished big things, you racked up a great record, and you don’t get enough credit”, Obama joked.
Obama, who has made curbing gun violence a priority, noted in his remarks in the East Room of the White House that the Warriors “had players take a stand” against it, prompting applause from the crowd.
“I can’t imagine how that feels”, the president added.
Obama imitated Curry’s spinning celebration during a 51-point performance the previous night in a win at Washington. “Great shooting, great passing, a small-ball “nuclear lineup” – it’s nearly not fair”.
“Consider this a symbol of an offer that’s coming”, Kerr said as he presented Obama with the jersey and the president demonstrated his shooting form.
“If they play Draymond Green at the 5-spot, it’s always gonna be challenging to any frontcourt player”, Donovan said.
“Steph’s a pretty good shooter”, Obama said.
Obama is a big basketball fan and played golf with Curry and his father, former NBA standout Dell Curry, last August while on vacation.
“Maybe you’ll break that Bulls record.”
“In their commitment to the My Brother’s Keeper initiative, promoting mentoring in the Bay Area and nationwide, the team even met with some students in the White House mentoring program before the event”. But as Coach Kerr pointed out, he wins either way. “He was clowning”, Obama said.
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Green said he was sure that Obama truly thought the 1995-96 Bulls were the best team of all-time.
