Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr invited the family of the late Trayvon Martin to a game against the Miami Heat on Friday night. 

Wearing an “I am Trayvon Martin” wristband during the postgame press conference, Kerr reportedly gave tickets to the slain teenager’s family and met with Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, after the game. 

Martin was fatally shot by white vigilante George Zimmerman in 2012 while visiting his father in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman, who was the neighborhood watch coordinator, alleges that he shot the 17-year-old in self-defense. He was later acquitted of second-degree murder. Martin’s death sparked the beginning of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Kerr is known for being vocal on political and social issues, particularly athletes’ activism on and off the court. 

When asked about the impact of Martin’s death, Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area, “It was heartbreaking. That’s a pain that will never go away.” 

“No matter what side of the spectrum you are on, I would hope that every American is disgusted with what is going on around the country, with what happened in Tulsa two days ago, Terence Crutcher,” Kerr said in 2016, according to The Undefeated. 

Crutcher was shot and killed by an officer in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2016 after his SUV stalled in the middle of the street. Officer Betty Shelby alleges that he appeared to be under the influence and reaching in his SUV for a weapon before firing her gun. 

“Unarmed Black people are being killed indiscriminately around the country. And that’s what happened two days ago. That’s the message. That’s what matters,” Kerr said.

Following Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s comments about protests in Hong Kong after an extradition bill was introduced in China, Kerr has trodden lightly with his sociopolitical commentary.  

“The same people who are asking me to stick to sports are also asking me to expand my horizons,” he told reporters before a pre-season game in October. “I guess that's what I'm hearing. Again, I will speak on the things I'm comfortable with. I will do things I believe are helpful for my country.” 

Tragically, like Fulton, Kerr also lost a loved one — his father — to violence when he was killed in 1984, The Washington Post reports. In the wake of their loved ones’ deaths, both Kerr and Fulton remain committed to raising awareness around gun violence. 

“I’m glad we could host her [Fulton] and she could meet some of our guys and have a fun night at the ballgame. It meant a lot to me,” Kerr said.

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