Ahead of the recent debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump, NBA star Stephen Curry revealed why he made the decision to publicly endorse Harris for president despite the risk of ostracizing some of his fans.

Bloomberg Originals’ Emily Chang asked him in a recent interview, “Michael Jordan famously said ‘Republicans buy shoes, too.’ Why put yourself out there and take a position?”

The Golden State Warriors point guard replied, “Well first, it was the conviction of what you believe, being active and actually publicly endorsing her, being a part of the DNC — back in 2020 as well. I just approach everything with decency and humanity. It’s not like I’m out here casting flames at the other side — it’s what I believe in. Whether you agree with me or not, you want to be able to foster positive conversations. You want to be able to have intelligent conversations about what’s actually happening.”

Steph Curry presents President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala with jerseys at an event to celebrate the Golden State Warriors at the White House in Washington, DC on Jan. 17, 2023.

Curry’s endorsement contrasts the behavior of Michael Jordan, who is known to generally stay out of politics. He made the controversial “Republicans buy sneakers, too” comment in the ’90s when he chose not to endorse Democratic candidate Harvey Gantt for North Carolina senator. He later contextualized the remark in the docuseries “The Last Dance,” saying, “I don’t think that statement needs to be corrected because I said it in jest on a bus with Horace Grant and Scottie Pippen. It was thrown off the cuff.”

Even in jest, the comment cuts to the heart of why many prominent figures in sports and entertainment are conflicted about speaking out on politics: dollars are on the line. Like Jordan and other superstar athletes, Curry has major brand deals, namely his Curry Brand imprint with Under Amour. He continues to further the brand, having debuted his Curry 12 signature sneaker this summer ahead of the Paris Olympics and opening his first store today, Sept. 12, with a location in Chengdu, China.

Speaking with Bloomberg, Curry elaborated on his endorsement of Harris and the polarizing times in which we live: “I do hate the inherent backlash you get if you just say anything. They don’t really hear what you say or how you say it, it’s just the fact that people might be against the way you think. That’s how life’s supposed to be — not everybody’s supposed to think the same way, not everybody’s supposed to have the same beliefs, but you’re supposed to have a level of decency and humanity to say ‘I respect you, I understand where you’re coming from.’ You can foster that kind of conversation.”

Steph Curry at the Women’s Single Finals of the US Open on Sept. 7.

He continued, “So that’s why I do it, to make sure we’re still in that lane. And obviously, like I said, it’s what I believe, and you live with that — knowing you’re not going to please everybody but at least that’s the spirit I’m trying to come with.”

The presidential debate between Harris and former president Donald Trump took place on Sept. 10, when the two candidates made clear their stances on issues relating to the economy, immigration, women’s rights, and more politically divisive topics.

In a conversation with CNBC, Curry revealed one important reason that Harris has his vote: “Obviously endorsing Kamala is important for me, for my family — especially women’s rights, and thinking about what’s at stake with this election. And understanding we need to be a position where women have the right to choose what’s right for them. That’s at the top of the list for me, I have amazing women in my life who have been a huge inspiration to me.”

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