Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr is an NBA legend, not only because of his time playing on the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls, but also because of his experience coaching and partnership with future Hall of Famer Steph Curry. And he knows it.
Asked during a recent appearance on the Glue Guys Podcast how he stays fresh and current for a team he had led for 11 years, Kerr first explicitly and very honestly credited the Steph of it all for allowing him to have the coaching career he does.
"I'm well aware that the reason I'm still here is because Steph Curry's still here," Kerr said. "I'm not being modest, I'm just telling the truth. Greg Popovich is one of my best friends and mentors, and every time we sit down to dinner, he holds up his wine glass and he says, 'Here's to Tim Duncan.' And everyone toasts Tim Duncan. And I love it because it's genuine and he's basically telling us, 'The only reason we are all here is 'cause the lottery fell our way.' ... So that's how I feel about Steph. If I didn't have Steph, I would've been like every other NBA coach and lasted a few years and then gone somewhere else and coached somewhere else. So I'm incredibly lucky to have this partnership with Steph. He provides this stability and continuity with the organization that just makes everybody's job easier."
Then, of course, he explained how he manages to evolve after all this time.
"The game is changing constantly," he said. "It's amazing from year to year to see the differences. I just think it's really important to collaborate with your staff and encourage the young coaches to really bring a lot of ideas to the table. I really lean on my younger coaches."
He added that, in today's NBA, players are less developed when they arrive, then play more games year-round. That experience is different from the one he had, and different from the way he likes to coach. But "the key is to figure that out and let the people who can do those things, let 'em do it and empower 'em."
Watch that below starting at 9:40:
Four NBA titles later, it's safe to say that whatever Kerr is doing—and whatever Curry is doing—is working. We'll see if they can make another push toward the Larry O'Brien next season, which will be perhaps one of their last chances before Steph hangs it up.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Steve Kerr Makes Honest Admission About Steph Curry's Impact on His Coaching Career.
