PARIS — Warriors guard Steph Curry has a longstanding friendship with American vice president Kamala Harris and on Thursday at the U.S. men’s basketball opening news conference at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the 10-time All-Star and greatest shooter in NBA history said he plans to lean into that relationship going into the 2024 election.
That was true before president Joe Biden announced he was withdrawing from the election and endorsing Harris, who is now the presumptive Democratic nominee. But with Harris, a longtime Warriors fan, now at the top of the ticket, Curry is even more excited.
“Interesting times in our country right now,” said Curry, who will make his Olympic debut Sunday when the Americans take on Serbia in their first game of pool play. “Hopefully with her on the ticket, we’re winning the election. It’s a big deal, to say the least.”
Harris was born in Oakland, and the former Attorney General of California and U.S. Senator has talked frequently about her lifelong love of the Warriors, saying the team has “been a constant source of joy and pride for me.” As AG, she once jumped out of her vehicle and headed for public transit with a traffic jam threatened to keep her from tip-off of a big Golden State game. It was, she joked, to the dismay of her security detail that she did that.
Given this, it’s no surprise Curry wants to help Harris any way he can.
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“She represents the Bay Area and is a big support of us, and we’re gonna give that energy right back to her,” Curry said, adding that is a “monumental next couple months for our country and the direction we’re headed.”
Curry knows that sport, particularly one as global as basketball, has the power to bring people together and he’s hoping the Americans’ play over the next couple weeks can “continue to unify the country.”
Despite how divided the U.S. feels right now, Curry said he’s thinking a lot about all the positive energy he and Team USA can bring to each other, their fellow Americans and, if called upon, to the Harris campaign directly.
“Knowing what’s ahead, it’s all about positive energy and optimism,” Curry said. “I’m just excited for the journey ahead for her.”
The vice president visited with the men’s team at training camp in Las Vegas earlier in July.
“It’s an incredible thrill to be able to have conversations with world leaders,” U.S. men’s basketball coach Steve Kerr said. “I’ve met her a few times so I call her Kamala. If she wins, I need to adjust that. I can’t call her by her first name. But I think President Biden, admirably, knows it’s time to step down and Kamala Harris is a great candidate and I’ll support her. That’s exciting.”