Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr had a good look of the Boston Celtics’ core in the offseason, when he served as a deputy under head coach Gregg Popovich for Team USA in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The 12-man team was bolstered by four Celtics players; Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and their prized offseason recruit Kemba Walker.
Walker had to fill in some big shoes as he took over the starting point guard slot relinquished by Kyrie Irving who bolted for the Brooklyn Nets over the summer.
While some pundits questioned whether or not Walker could take over the reins in Beantown, Kerr knew all along that All-Star will fit in perfectly under Brad Stevens.
The Warriors coach talked about Walker ahead of his team’s Friday match-up with the number one team in the league right now.
Steve Kerr said he had no doubt while he was coaching Kemba Walker this summer that he would be great for the Celtics not just because he’s a great player but for the way he builds chemistry. He said you could tell over the summer the Celtics on Team USA were going to click.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) November 16, 2019
Irving has been putting up big numbers for the Nets since leaving Boston, but he didn’t seem to fully embrace the Celtics’ system in his two seasons with the team.
Walker, on the other hand, is a big reason for the Celtics’ scorching 9-1 start, proving that he is indeed one of the best floor generals in the game today.
The 29-year-old UConn product is averaging 25.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists during the team’s league-best nine-game winning streak.
His efficiency on offense has improved as well, making 42.2 percent of his field goal attempts and shooting a career best 44.4 clip from downtown.
Walker’s leadership will be crucial for Boston’s chances to come out of the East this year, especially with the team set to miss the services of the injured Gordon Hayward for some time.
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