Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr spent 15 years playing in the NBA, most notably as a member of the second three-peat Chicago Bulls next to Hall of Fame shooting guard Michael Jordan.
Kerr's arrival on the Bulls did not coincide with Jordan's presence, however, as the current Charlotte Hornets owner was in retirement for the first time to play minor league baseball.
Jordan, though, returned to the game that made his name synonymous with hoops in the spring of 1995 — just in time for the NBA playoffs.
Now, Kerr is calling the opportunity to play alongside Jordan a life-changing experience, which opened doors for the former Arizona Wildcat.
Article Continues Below“It completely changed the rest of my life,” the three-time NBA champion coach told NBC Sports. “Playing with Michael Jordan changed the entire course of my career.
“I was able to play on these championship teams, made a name for myself, was able to get into TV, broadcasting, management, coaching and the reason people hired for me these jobs later on is because I played next to Michael Jordan. . .. I owe him everything.”
After winning three championships with the 90s Bulls, Steve Kerr spent the majority of the rest of his playing days with the San Antonio Spurs, winning two more titles. When he retired from playing after the 2002-03 NBA season, Kerr became a television broadcaster for TNT and later an executive with the Phoenix Suns organization.
Kerr would see his life change again with a coaching opportunity in June 2014 with the upstart Warriors following Mark Jackson's dismissal from the team. Kerr and the Warriors went to five consecutive Finals appearances, winning three titles in that span.