Christian NBA Superstar Joins Athletes’ Protest Against Trump

NFL players aren’t the only ones who have developed grievances with President Donald Trump’s actions and tweets in recent days.

Last week, Christian NBA superstar Steph Curry publicly stated he would refuse an invitation to the White House to celebrate the Golden State Warriors’ 2017 NBA championship, stemming from Trump’s tweets aimed at NFL stars who have protested the National Anthem. Trump promptly responded by rescinding his invitation to Curry.

Teammate Kevin Durant and coach Steve Kerr also rebuffed the invitation. And, before the entire team had an opportunity to vote on whether or not to go to the White House, Trump tweeted that the team had been uninvited, saying, “Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating; therefore, invitation is withdrawn!” 

A devout Christian, Curry regularly holds team Bible studies and has the Bible verse Philippians 4:13 embossed on his game sneakers.

Along with winning an NBA championship customarily comes an invitation to the White House. But during a Warriors’ Media Day press conference on Friday, Curry said he and some of his teammates were inclined not to attend.

It is customary for the winning team to visit the White House. However, Friday at a Warriors Media Day press conference, CBN News reported that Curry said he and some of his teammates were not inclined to attend.

“I don’t want to go,” Curry said. “It’s not just me going to the White House. If it was, this would be a pretty short conversation. … We don’t stand for basically what our president has, the things that he’s said and the things that he hasn’t said in the right times, that we won’t stand for it. And by acting and not going, hopefully that will inspire some change when it comes to what we tolerate in this country and what is accepted and what we turn a blind eye to. It’s not just the act of not going there. There are things you have to do on the back end to actually push that message into motion.

“[Athletes are] all trying to do what we can. We’re using our platforms, using our opportunities to shed light on that, so that’s kind of where I stand on it. I don’t think us not going to the White House is going to miraculously make everything better, but this is my opportunity to voice that.”

Speaking at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday, Trump condemned professional football players who, he says, disrespect the American flag as unpatriotic.

News reports say that Trump said those players who do so should hear the words “You’re fired” from their employer.

After Golden State won the 2016 NBA title, then-President Barack Obama hosted the team for a championship celebration. {eoa}