LOS ANGELES: Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr made an impassioned plea for gun control in the wake of the Texas school shooting that left 18 children dead on Tuesday as the US sporting world reacted with horror over the tragedy.

Kerr refused to talk about his team鈥檚 NBA playoff match with the Dallas Mavericks in a pre-game press conference, held hours after a teenage gunman opened fire at a school in the Texas town of Uvalde.

An emotional Kerr, one of the most outspoken and articulate voices on social issues in American sport, slammed his hand on a table as he accused US lawmakers who refuse to vote on tougher gun laws of 鈥渉olding the American people hostage.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 not going to talk about basketball,鈥� Kerr told reporters shortly before Tuesday鈥檚 Eastern Conference finals game four in Dallas. 鈥淎ny basketball questions don鈥檛 matter.

鈥淪ince we left shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here, and a teacher. In the last 10 days, we鈥檝e had elderly black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, we鈥檝e had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California, now we have children murdered at school.

鈥淲hen are we going to do something? I鈥檓 tired. I鈥檓 so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there.

鈥淚鈥檝e had enough. We鈥檙e going to play the game tonight. But I want every person here, every person listening to this, to think about your own child or grandchild, mother or father, sister, brother.

鈥淗ow would you feel if this happened to you today鈥� asked Kerr, whose father was murdered by Islamic militants in Beirut in 1984.

Kerr reserved toughest criticism for members of the US Senate who have refused to vote on legislation that would introduce stricter background checks for gun owners.

鈥淔ifty Senators in Washington are going to hold us hostage,鈥� Kerr said. 鈥淒o you realize that 90 percent of Americans, regardless of political party, want background checks, universal background checks? Ninety percent of us.

鈥淲e are being held hostage by 50 Senators in Washington who refuse to even put it to a vote, despite what we the American people want.鈥�

Kerr鈥檚 sense of outrage was shared by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, who also called for change.

鈥淟ike when is enough enough man!!!,鈥� James wrote on Twitter. 鈥淭hese are kids and we keep putting them in harms way at school. Like seriously, 鈥淎T SCHOOL鈥� where it鈥檚 suppose to be the safest!

鈥淭here simply has to be change. HAS TO BE!!鈥�

NFL athletes also demanded change. The Kansas City Chiefs鈥� Super Bowl-winning quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who grew up in Texas, wrote on Twitter: 鈥淗as to stop man...prayers to all the families in Texas.鈥�

Dallas Cowboys defensive star DeMarcus Lawrence meanwhile tweeted directly at Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

鈥淲ho is going to stand up and DEMAND we have better security at all these schools that can鈥檛 afford it????鈥� Lawrence wrote. 鈥淗ow are our tax dollars not going to those who need the most protection??!! OUR CHILDREN! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!鈥�

Former Houston Texans icon J.J. Watt added: 鈥淒evastated doesn鈥檛 even begin to describe it. Horrifying horrifying news out of Texas.鈥�