Steve Kerr backs Harvard in Donald Trump's $2.2 billion row

Steve Kerr used his platform to shed light on the conflict going on between the Donald Trump administration and Harvard University. He spoke about the situation to reporters on Tuesday after the Golden State Warriors’ 121-116 play-in victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

"I thought today was a good day to show the academic freedom I believed in,” Kerr said. "I think it is very important for academic institutions to decide how they operate. And this must not be shaken … I want to support Harvard University which is being bullied."

In early April, Trump’s administration demanded Harvard dismantle its DEI programs to eliminate considerations of race.

Harvard University President Alan Garber refused to comply, resulting in President Trump freezing $2.2 billion of federal funding allocated to the Massachusetts-based institution.

Kerr wore a Harvard basketball T-shirt in the press conference, illustrating his stance on the controversy.

“Tommy Amaker (Harvard basketball coach) is my friend. We trained there during the away game in Boston last November and he gave it to us as a gift," Kerr mentioned how he got the T-shirt.

Steve Kerr highlights the importance of the play-in win

The Warriors have been in the midst of a competitive seeding battle in the Western Conference for the past few weeks. With every regular season game having major playoff implications, Steve Kerr’s team has approached each game with a do-or-die mentality, playing relentlessly without much rest.

The Grizzlies win prevented the Warriors from participating in a second play-in game. But more importantly, the Warriors will now receive a much-needed four-day resting period to rejuvenate and prepare for their first-round series.

“We desperately needed to win this game and get four days. Our guys have been basically playing knockout games for about three weeks and one high-level game after another. So to get this one, took 83 games, but we're right where we want to be, which is back in the playoffs and we've got a chance."

The Warriors advance to the playoffs as the No. 7 seed, where they’ll face the second-seeded Houston Rockets in the opening round. Regardless of what their positioning in the standings might suggest, Steve Kerr’s squad will enter the series riding high on confidence.

Not only is the team equipped with abundant playoff experience, but it also clinched the regular-season series 3-2 against Houston.