USA Basketball Chairman Comments on Team After 2016 Presidential Election
Retired general and new chairman of USA Basketball Martin E. Dempsey stressed it "is not that important" that Team USA embraces President-elect Donald Trump while appearing on the Capital Games podcast Thursday (h/t Andy Katz of ESPN.com).
"They are not representing President-elect Trump," he said. "They are representing the country where we have a system that stood the test of time with three separate and equal branches of government, representing 350 million people."
That country has been divided since the election when the controversial Republican candidate beat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in the race to the White House. There have been a number of protests since Trump won following a campaign littered with divisive rhetoric.
Marc Stein and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com recently reported some NBA teams will no longer stay at Trump hotels on road trips, and Team USA stalwart LeBron James endorsed Clinton before the election.
Dempsey also said new Team USA coach Gregg Popovich is expressing "concern about how easy it's going to be" under Trump to bring together a squad that includes players with a variety of backgrounds, via Katz.
Popovich previously criticized Trump for his "disgusting tenor and tone and all the comments that have been xenophobic, homophobic, racist, misogynistic," per Pounding the Rock's Chris Itz.
Popovich isn't the only NBA coach to voice similar concerns.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr criticized Trump's misogyny and insulting ways in a press conference, per Anthony Slater of the San Jose Mercury News. Detroit Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said, per the Detroit Free Press' Vince Ellis, "I don't think anybody can deny this guy is openly and brazenly racist and misogynistic."
Despite the divided nature of the country, Dempsey opined that the national anthem is still appropriate to play at sporting events, via Katz. San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick and other athletes have protested racial injustice in the United States during the national anthem at sporting events this year.
Dempsey also said he talked to both the men's and women's national teams at the Olympics and World Cup of Basketball about the importance of wearing the United States uniform and representing the country at international events.
While Trump's election victory may make that message more difficult to embrace for some players, the new chairman ensured the team will be playing for far more than just the President-elect.
