Despite winning eight NBA Championships, Steve Kerr admits that he still fears losing and how it motivates him and the Golden State Warriors
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Steve Kerr is one of the most celebrated people associated with the NBA. He has won five championships as a player, and three as a coach, cementing his place forever in the league.
Not to mention, he has reached five consecutive NBA finals in a seven-year career as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, all while flexing a .733 win percentage in the playoffs, the most among any coach who has won a championship.
For someone with a legacy essentially written in gold, one might question, what’s left to prove? Kerr got to answer that question himself in a recent interview with The Athletic.
Steve Kerr counts himself lucky but says that his relentless desire to keep winning helps him stay motivated
Kerr had several doubters as he took over the coaching responsibilities at the Golden State Warriors. And understandably so. The team was blooming with talent, and hiring a newcomer to coach it, in foresight, seemed like a ridiculous choice.
Three titles later, though, opinions like those, and others, have found their way to the bin. Kerr is the most successful coach among the present group and reflected on his incredible legacy when asked if he had something else to prove. The 56-year-old started by counting his lucky stars.
“I never lose any sleep over that. I count my blessings that I’ve been able to coach the players that I’ve coached and be in the organization that I’m in because I know how lucky I am.”
The conversation got real immediately after that as Kerr started to talk about his hunger to win and continue proving why and how he has reached the peak in the sport.
“But part of what allowed me to stay in the NBA for 15 years as a player is that losing humiliates me, you know? My competitive desire drives me. But like a lot of players at this level, the fear of losing is an even bigger motivator. So even though I don’t stop and think about legacy or anything like that, I just want to f**king win, you know?”
For a man that loves winning as much as he claims, Kerr must have been seriously hurt with the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, when the Warriors could not even make it to the playoffs. This year, though, they’re back with a bang and hang second in the West, with a ridiculous 18-3 statline.
“Draymond’s the same way and Steph’s the same way and Klay’s the same way. And what I love is that collectively, we’re getting off the mat this year. And we’re saying, ‘All right, let’s get it. Let’s do it again.’ Whatever that means. Whatever people write. However people feel about us. The main thing is that we’re competing again and we’re enjoying the competition.”
The Warriors suffered their third loss in the league against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday, who leapfrogged them to take the top spot in the West. However, Steve Kerr’s men have the chance to right their wrongs tomorrow night when the Suns travel to Chase Center.
