May 25, 2015
Golden State Warriors guard Steph Curry, the recently named league MVP whose team is a game away from the NBA Finals, brought his daughter Riley on stage during a press conference following game one of the Western Conference Finals.
While many found Riley's appearance funny and adorable, it has caused some controversy among sports media members, with some claiming it distracts reporters from trying to get quotes and completing their stories.
“Reporters are there trying to do their job. I don’t think it’s a big deal but I would prefer [players] not bring their kids, reporters are trying to do their job. I would have never brought my daughter to a press conference personally, but I don’t think it’s that big of a deal.”
Curry is not the only athlete to participate in the practice Barkley condemns. Penn State head football coach James Franklin has brought his two daughters to the podium as well.
In an interview with PennLive concerning the topic, he explained his reasoning for doing so, saying that his schedule prevents him from seeing his family often and that game day is one of the few times he gets to hang out with his children during the season:
"So, basically, on game day, the only times I get with them is my walk from the locker room to the press conference. Then, I leave them again. So, they started to ask, 'Dad, can we sit with you [on the interview podium]?' And I'm like, 'Yeah, come sit with me.'
Some of the other notable sports media members to criticize the practice are ESPN NBA writer Brian Windhorst and television personality Skip Bayless.
