Gregg Popovich, the winningest coach in the NBA, wholeheartedly believed in the necessity of a ‘big 3’ to win championships. One of his most beloved students, Steve Kerr, put the formula to the test as he turned the fortunes of the Golden State Warriors almost instantaneously. With the date, November (11th month of the year) 30th, 2023 having each of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green‘s jersey numbers, the head coach paid tribute to his apprentices.
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The Warriors celebrated a historical moment as the stars entered their 12th season together to represent the city of San Francisco. So, on the memorable occasion, Kerr paid his respect to the iconic trio of 11, 30, and 23. “I’m forever in these guys’ debt. Forever,” he mentioned while pointing to the banner behind him consisting of all three of the NBA stars.
The 58-year-old has had the opportunity to coach them for nearly a decade now as he reflected on the journey together. “The good fortune of taking this job, my first job in the NBA as a coach to get to coach these guys for a decade, it doesn’t happen often,” he stated. Displaying his gratitude publicly, Steve further added, “So, I’m just extremely fortunate. Not just for the success but you know for the relationships that we’ve built with all three of them”.
In this competitive market where stars often put their self-interest over the goals of an organization, Kerr respected them for sticking together. “Love all three guys and it’s been an amazing decade and we’re still together. It’s pretty remarkable,” he mentioned ahead of the Clippers game.
Their time together has been filled with its fair share of challenges alongside various unforgettable moments on the NBA court. The current season comes across as a reflection of precisely that. After all, the Dubs are 8-10 at the start of the campaign. They believe in Kerr to change their fortune as they have taken a first-half lead of 61-50 against the Los Angeles Clippers in front of the home crowd.
The Journey of Steve Kerr in the Bay Area
After an underwhelming career as an executive, several critics disliked the Warriors’ decision to announce him as the head coach in 2014. Despite the chip on his shoulder, the 5x champion player silenced the doubters by shattering records in his rookie coaching campaign. Banking on his management skills, the organization became the most successful one in the league in the last ten years with four championships.
Not only rings, but he helped the players develop rapidly since taking over. The space and pace of his offense helped Curry win two consecutive MVP trophies including a Finals MVP in 2022. Klay and Draymond also became prominent figures in the NBA as they secured All-Star calibers.
Thus, in this time of crisis, Kerr is set to rely on the core trio of the roster. His faith in them remains unshakable, as the franchise hopes for a turnaround in fortune.
