The Golden State Warriors head coach, Steve Kerr, has had a most interesting career. He was one of the sharpshooters that helped Michael Jordan win four NBA titles, and would rejuvenate his magic several years later with the San Antonio Spurs, when many believed him to be an afterthought of an offensive threat. After years as a braodcaster, Kerr returned to the sidelines last year and won an NBA Championship in his first ever head coaching gig. This year, he returned to the NBA Finals but was upended by a scarily determined LeBron James. He was a member of the notorious 72-10 Bulls, and coached the team–the 2015-2016 Warriors–that would narrowly break that regular season record by 1 game (73-9), and he did it all despite missing the first third of the season.

Kerr’s personal history isn’t, however, as glamorous. His father, Malcolm, was murdered execution-style at the age of 52 just outside his office at American University in Beirut. That’s led to many years of being very stern about gun issues and control laws in America, and Kerr was once again asked about it on a recent podcast appearance, given the four bills that were shot down on the Senate floor last week, bills that would have required stricter background checks on people looking to purchase firearms. Kerr’s response was that of someone for whom this topic hits home.

“It’s easier to get a gun than it is to get a driver’s license.” Frighteningly enough, in some cases, coach is right, and he, like millions of other Americans, are begging their nation to do something about that.

June 25, 2016