Stephen Curry on Donald Trump: 'An asset to the country if you remove the et'

Stephen Curry, the reigning two-time MVP, isn't a fan of US President Donald Trump. After Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank called Trump an "asset" to the country, Curry jokingly responded, “I agree with that description, if you remove the ‘et' from asset."

The NBA, as a whole, has been anti-Trump from the onset. A day after Trump was elected as president, the likes of Gregg Popovich, Stan Van Gundy and Steve Kerr raised concerns about the future of the country before requesting the league to distance itself from the White House. While several teams have refused to reside in Trump-owned hotels, Jalen Rose reckons that championship-winning teams would avoid the customary annual visit to the White House so as long as Trump holds office.

On Tuesday, Plank praised Trump during an interview to CNBC. "To have such a pro-business president is something that is a real asset for the country," the Under Armour boss was quoted as saying.

Last year, Curry and Under Armour announced a partnership that would keep the superstar point guard with the shoe and apparel company through 2024. Curry, the first premier athlete to sign with Under Armour, is paid nearly US$4 million (AU$5.2 million) a year besides owning a minority stake with the firm. Despite such close ties to Under Armour, Curry didn't hold back Tuesday while expressing his true feelings about Trump ahead of Golden State's home game against the Chicago Bulls.

"I spent all day yesterday on the phone, with countless people at Under Armour, countless people in Kevin Plank's camp, my team, trying to understand what was going on and where everybody stood on the issue. Based off the release that KP sent out this morning, and what he told me last night, that's the Under Armour that I know. That's the brand I know he's built and one that, as of Wednesday afternoon, is something that I'm standing on," Curry told The Mercury News.

Stephen Curry leads the NBA in jersey sales

Curry, who leads LeBron James and Kevin Durant in jersey and shoe sales, helped Under Armour make a whopping US$200 million (AU$262 million) in 2016, according to ESPN sources. When asked if he would consider ending his ties with the company due to its allegiance with Trump, Curry said: "If there is a situation where I can look at myself in the mirror and say they don't have my best intentions, they don't have the right attitude about taking care of people. If I can say the leadership is not in line with my core values, then there is no amount of money, there is no platform I wouldn't jump off if it wasn't in line with who I am. So, that's a decision I will make every single day when I wake up.

Curry added that he's concerned with the company "adopting Trump's values" even more so than reaping financial rewards. "It's a fine line, but it's about how we're operating, how inclusive we are, what we stand for. He's (Donald Trump) the president. There are going to be people that are tied to them. But are we promoting change? Are we doing things that are going to look out for everybody? And not being so self-serving that it's only about making money, selling shoes, doing this and that. That's not the priority. It's about changing lives. I think we can continue to do that." Stephen Curry is averaging 25.6 points and 6.4 assists this season.