Stephen Curry Says New SI Cover Is 'Terrible' for Leaving off Colin Kaepernick

Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry sounded off Wednesday regarding Sports Illustrated's latest cover, which features the words "A Nation Divided, Sports United" and a picture of him locking arms with LeBron James and Roger Goodell in front of other sports figures.

Speaking to reporters after practice, Curry said he was disappointed Colin Kaepernick, who began protesting police brutality and social injustice during the national anthem last year, was not included. 

"That was terrible," Curry said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle's Connor Letourneau. "...If you don't have (Kaepernick) front and center, something's wrong."

Curry added he felt the publication was "capitalizing on the hoopla and the media and all that nonsense," per ESPN.com's Chris Haynes. 

The Mercury News' Mark Medina relayed video of Curry's comments: 

"Well, in some ways, even though his picture's not there, Colin Kaepernick is there," Sports Illustrated executive director Stephen Cannella said Tuesday. "Colin Kaepernick was—for lack of a better word—was looming over everything that happened this past weekend.

"What we were trying to capture with this cover was the way new voices emerged this weekend, and the way this debate, this issue, this protest movement has sort of evolved beyond Colin Kaepernick." 

Curry received prominent placement on the magazine cover after his comments about not visiting the White House drew the ire of President Donald Trump. 

"I don't want to go," Curry said Friday at the team's media day, according to USA Today's Sam Amick. "That's kind of the nucleus of my belief…(But) it's not just me going to the White House. If it was, this would be a pretty short conversation."

Trump proceeded to tweet that Curry and the Warriors wouldn't be welcome at the White House to celebrate their 2016-17 championship: 

James, who is front and center on the cover with Curry, later defended the floor general in a tweet directed at the president: 

That back-and-forth came on the same weekend players, owners and coaches from around the NFL united in displays of unity after Trump referred to a player who kneels during the anthem as a "son of a bitch." 

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, who is also on the cover and penned a piece featured in the latest issue, echoed Curry's sentiment Wednesday. 

"I looked it and went, 'Where the hell is Kap?'" he said, according to The Athletic's Tim Kawakami.