Every player requires a different teaching style, and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr figured out early that he could do more than just try a communication method and wait to see how it turns out.
In the Runnin’ Plays podcast with NBCSports, Kerr said he has reached out to old coaches and mentors for help with players including forward Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
“(Michigan State coach) Tom Izzo and I have become good friends because I decided I wanted to really know how to coach Draymond and I sought his advice,” Kerr said.
The way Green interacts with teammates has received national attention, and not always in a positive light, but his leadership was undeniably an integral part of the glue that helped Golden State become a dynasty.
Kerr learned how to best communicate with Green.
“I think that’s a big part of being a coach in the NBA, is really learning your players and understanding what makes them tick,” Kerr said.
It took an on-court lesson with Thompson to teach Kerr how the shooting guard clicks. He recalled the moment from the 2014-15 season on the Runnin’ Plays podcast.
“My very first season, I lit into Klay. I took an early timeout, lit into Klay, and he didn’t respond very well,” Kerr said. “He went out and was kind of rattled, made a couple mistakes.”
Thompson averaged 21.7 points that season, which at that point was a career high, and made his first All-Star Game.
“I kind of checked that box,” Kerr said. “I said, ‘Klay’s not a guy who’s going to respond to yelling.'”
Like he did with Green, Kerr reached out to others who had worked with Thompson in the past.
“I figured that out and asked a couple of people who knew Klay better,” Kerr said. “They said ‘Yeah, yeah, you’re much better off just talking to him and explaining what you want. If you yell at him he’s gonna shut down.'”
Kerr learned about his players quickly and led the team to a championship in that first season as coach.
“I think you get a feel for each player pretty quickly as the season begins, as you begin to communicate with players,” he said.
