Steve Kerr doesn't lean on his playing days to help him coach Warriors

CHICAGO - Unlike most coaches that once played in the NBA, Warriors coach Steve Kerr rarely brings up his playing career.

“I don’t want to be that guy,” Kerr said.

After all, Kerr said his players know him less for his 16-year NBA career and more for providing commentary on NBA2K when he was a TNT announcer. Yet, Kerr said he talks about his NBA career “when I feel like it’s applicable.”

When the Warriors have struggled with complacency and fatigued stemming from winning the 2017 NBA championship, Kerr has brought up the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls team that started with an 8-7 record after winning back-to-back titles. The Bulls eventually won a third NBA championship.

“My experience that year in ’98 is helping me coach this team to where we are right now,” Kerr said.

Kerr’s experience as a role player has also helped his coaching. Kerr became a key part of various NBA championship teams with the Bulls (1996-98) and the San Antonio Spurs (1999, 2003) because he remained a dependable outside shooter despite inconsistent playing time. Most notably, Kerr made a game-winning jumper in the Bulls’ Game 6 victory in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz on a play most thought would end with Michael Jordan taking the shot.

Kerr may have joked he has “gotten old,” remarking that “it feels like 30” years since playing for the Bulls. Yet, Kerr still remembers what enabled him to thrive in his role.

“I learned pretty early in my career if you could stay ready and not complain when you didn’t play and perform when they threw you out there,” Kerr said, “that’s an incredibly valuable skill to have as a player. And it’s a valuable piece to have as a coach.”

That skill led Kerr toward multiple stops in Phoenix (1988-89), Cleveland (1989-92), Orlando (1992-93), Chicago (1993-99), San Antonio (1999-2001), Portland (2001-02) and again in San Antonio (2002-03). Through those stints, Kerr shot 45.4 percent from 3-point range.

“So I was able to play for a long time because of that,” Kerr said. “It wasn’t because I was a great player. It was because I can be a great teammate. I can be effective in spots. As a coach, I really value that. It’s one of the reasons I love our guys.”

As he said those words before the Warriors’ win against the Bulls on Wednesday, Kerr saw Warriors third-year forward Kevon Looney walk by in the arena hallway. So instead of continuing to talk about himself, Kerr spoke about his players.

Kerr described Looney as “a guy that stays ready every single night” amid steady minutes off the bench and 10 healthy scratches. Kerr lauded Warriors center Zaza Pachulia for accepting a “DNP-Coach’s Decision” on Monday in Cleveland without complaining amid Kerr’s desire to play rookie forward Jordan Bell for matchup purposes. Kerr then praised Warriors center JaVale McGee, saying he “has been so energetic and positive despite the fact he’s been out of the loop the last few weeks.”

“I appreciate that,” Kerr said. “It means a lot to our team.”

Whenever he returns to Chicago, Kerr will hang out in the city, enjoy dinner and catch up with old friends. He might accidentally go to the Bulls’ locker room, as he said he almost did prior to Wednesday’s game.

It also appears likely he will be asked how the ’90s Bulls teams would match up with the current Warriors.

“I think I would probably shut down Curry pretty well, if I would’ve been matched up with him,” Kerr joked. “I know his game so well as a coach now that it would’ve been easy for me to just lock him up.”

Just stay in front of Curry, right?

“Just stay in front of him? Me?” Kerr said with mock incredulousness. “I can stay in front of anybody with that kind of speed and lightning quickness.”

Curry had fun with the topic.

“He’s coaching a top-five defense. So he has the brain for it,” Curry said of Kerr. “I’m sure he’d put up a good fight. But I like my chances.”