J-Speaks: The Warriors' Steve Kerr: Head Coach, and Social Advocate

In the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA), no head coach has gotten off to a better start than the Golden State Warriors’ head man on the sidelines Steve Kerr. In his three-plus seasons, Kerr who played 14 NBA seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, the San Antonio Spurs twice, and the Portland Trail Blazers, winning five titles in that span, has a record of 224-45 in the regular season. The former color analyst for NBA on TNT, inherited a good team in 2014, and has guided them to greatness since, guiding them to two titles in the last three seasons to a resume that includes five rings won as a player for the Bulls, and Spurs. Kerr’s record however does not come even close to capturing the origin of the conscience, and coach he has been for the Warriors. 

In his three seasons with the Warriors, who are currently 17-6 atop the Western Conference, you can see Coach Kerr him smiling on the sidelines chatting it up with the referees, or his players. Then there are times he has shown his disappointment at his team’s play by breaking clipboards. 

On most days though, Kerr is like a kid in a candy store, particularly because he is the head coach of a team that has won two Larry O’Brien trophies in his first three seasons in the Bay Area of California. Even with all that success, he has not taking so seriously. He has taken the approach of even in victory, making self-deprecating jokes, like saying after their second title last June to ESPN/ABC’s Doris Burke during the trophy presentation, “Well, we had very little talent actually. It was mostly coaching.” 

He has also taken a very honest approach about the good fortune in his life, and being comfortable in his own skin. 

“I love what I do. I like sitting here, talking to you,” Kerr, whose team complied an NBA record 16-1 last postseason in winning that second title said to NBATV/NBA on TNT Insider David Aldridge back in the middle of November. “I like my job. I love my job. When you love something, it doesn’t feel like work. This doesn’t feel like work to me.” 

Warriors’ President, and Chief Operating Officer Rick Welts said to Aldridge that Kerr success as the team’s leader on the sidelines is his natural human quality that attracts people to him.

Warriors’ Assistant Coach of Player Development Bruce Fraser, the guy fans see with two-time MVP Stephen Curry working out before games says that Kerr has a very good perspective on basketball, and life. How he does not view coaching, “as stress.” 

Outside the hardwood though, Kerr has had some stressful times these past three seasons, with several them that he does not have control over. One of those instances is what President Donald Trump said during a speech in the Southern part of the U.S. of how NFL owners should deal with players who do not stand during the playing of the National Anthem before games back on Sept. 22. 

Mr. Trump said to his so-called base of people in Alabama that he would love to see one of NFL owners to get the equivalent of the offspring of a female dog off the field. “He’s Fired! He’s Fired!” 

“His comments about the NFL players was as bad as anything he has said,” were the thoughts Kerr said about Mr. Trump’s speech during a press conference. 

Kerr took even more offense to Trump’s promise to ban of Muslims enter the United States when he was campaigning on Dec. 7, 2015. 

“As someone who has…whose family member was a victim of terrorism…having lost my father. It’s really going against the principles of what our country is about,” Kerr said in response. 

There was a time in our nation that speaking out against powerful people like the President of the United States, especially when you are a major face of a billion operation with business, and social relationships in the U.S., and across the globe. Yet Kerr has felt more comfortable speaking out about the issues, from his criticism of Mr. Trump by name, or his demand for the decrease of the advanced number of guns available across the country. Basically, if you are counting on him to just coach his basketball team, you have a better chance on winning the lottery than that taking place. 

“I think some people probably think that I spend all of my time like studying politics. I don’t,” Kerr said to Aldridge. “I spend most of my time watching basketball, and that’s my true passion. But, I do read a lot about politics, and I follow what’s going on.” 

Kerr added that he feels comfortable talking about what is going on in the world outside of sports because it is important, especially when it has a major impact on one’s life.

That impact came in 1984 when Steve’s dad Malcolm Kerr, who was the President of American University of Beirut was assassinated on that campus by two gunmen. Those assassins were never found. For Kerr, basketball became a refuge for him to escape the pain of losing his father so tragically. 

The game however did not give Kerr a place to hide from the ills of our society, which he has expressed on many occasions. 

He once said to USA Today about guns, “We have to look at gun crisis as a ‘public health issue.’” 

Another time, Kerr said that gun violence in the United States that, “It’s disgusting and it’s a shame.” 

It is that ability to speak out about something very troublesome in our country with no hesitation that has made Kerr’s relationship with Warriors’ General Manager Bob Meyers even closer. 

Meyers lost someone very close to him two years back when brother-in-law in author, and entrepreneur Scott Dinsmore, who was married to his sister Chelsea was killed in an avalanche while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He was just 33-years-old. 

He said to Aldridge that the Warriors have no right to say to him to just talk about how you are going to guard the pick-and-roll of the opposition, and not about an issue that had a major affect on his life. 

“Sadly, in life, it takes great loss to understand great loss,” Meyers said to Aldridge. “So, whether we ever win or lose anymore games, that moment how he reached out to my wife’s [Kristen] family, those are what makes relationships.” 

When the Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 6 of the 2016 NBA Finals at Oracle Arena, there was a moment captured of Meyers, and Kerr sharing a hug, where both men shed many tears. Meyers said of that moment, “That’s what makes sports so beautiful. It’s the relationship. It’s the sacrifice.” 

It is because of those tragic moments, and the importance of coming together for a greater good beyond ourselves why Kerr also speaks his mind about what is going on in our nation because as he said to Aldridge, “It’s scary. It’s a scary time for our country, and I think it’s important for everybody to speak their mind. I just happen to have a very big platform.”     

It is another reason Kerr preaches to his team to bring a work hard, play hard, but laugh hard sensibility to the Warriors locker. 

Even with All-Stars like Kevin Durant, who joined the team in free agency a season ago, Curry, his fellow “Splash Brother” Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, it is the team concept of playing for each other on both sides of the court that has made them a championship team. 

Welts points out that almost to a fault Kerr never makes the success of the team never about him. He will never take any credit for all that has happened, and he will instantly deflect the credit to his assistants. That is how the likes of Alvin Gentry, and Luke Walton are head coaches today with the New Orleans Pelicans, and Los Angeles Lakers respectably. 

“But that empowers those people around him to feel even more invested in the outcome, and I think that’s a big part of his magic,” Welts said about Kerr. 

That ability to connect even extends to Warriors player. Last season when Curry struggled early on to adjust to the presence of 2014 league MVP Kevin Durant on the team a season ago, bottoming out in a fourth quarter collapse against the Cavs on Christmas Day, Kerr went to Curry’s home the next day to hear his star lead guard’s issues, and to clear the air. 

“I don’t know if anything groundbreaking was said, but just the gesture of him coming over. Just understanding his level of care for not just how we’re playing, but how we’re feeling,” Curry said of that moment. “We’re human beings first, and just having that connection. So, it meant a lot, and I think I was better off for it after that.” 

Along balancing being a head coach of the reigning NBA champions, and an advocate for change in our country, Kerr is still battling with chronic, and often severe pain from back surgery that he had two off-seasons ago.

“I’m coping. I can’t sit still without pain, and I’m in pain” Kerr said to Aldridge. He did add though, that, “I’m able to enjoy coaching. I’m able to enjoy my life. It would be really nice to enjoy it without pain, and that’s my goal. That’s what I’m trying to achieve.” 

While the issues of the day seem to be piling up like boulders day-after-day, and his back that continues to be an issue for him, Kerr shakes his head at the notion that those things leave him unhappy. He is the head coach of the best team in the NBA, whose gone 47-15 in the playoffs under his watch, and is looking to win back-to-back titles this season. A very close working relationship with GM Meyers, and the front office of the Warriors. A great marriage to his college sweetheart Margot, who he has been married to for 27 years, and they have three children in Nick, Maddy, and Matthew. 

The only thing standing in the way of Kerr continuing being on the Warriors sideline past next season is that previously mentioned back problem. That is what has postponed a contract extension between him, and Meyers. The hope is to resume those talks at season’s end because Kerr wants to make sure he is physically able to continue coaching. His current deal expires after the 2018-19 NBA campaign.

Not a lot of guys who have been through a tragic moment like Kerr, where he father was murdered can come out on the other side like he has, and have the kind of life he has made, where he wants others to have, and feel the kind of joy he feels each day on, and off the court. 

“He doesn’t think he’s better than anybody, but he doesn’t think he’s any worse,” Meyers said of Coach Kerr. “He’s not coming at you as if, ‘I have seven championships. Who are you to tell me what to do?’ Nor is he coming at it from angle of, ‘Look. I’m unsure. I don’t know what I’m talking about, can you help me?’ He’s able to have humility with confidence, and that’s a hard thing to strike.”   

Information, and quotations are courtesy 11/14/17 11 p.m. edition of NBATV’s “Beyond the Paint,” with host Matt Winer, report from David Aldridge; 9/15/15 The Mercury News article, “East Bay Entrepreneur, Author Scott Dinsmore Killed While Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro,” David Debolt; www.espn.com/nba/coaches/_/id/425/steve-kerr;  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Meyers; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Kerr.