Before the duo of Steve Kerr and Gregg Popovich became two of the most successful coaches in the NBA, they were player and coach — tasked to meet the same goal through very different roles.
The two first met in 1998, after Kerr had departed the Chicago Bulls after five successful seasons with the team. He played under Popovich during two different stints — from 1998-2001 and during the 2002-03 season.
Popovich quickly climbed the ranks of his coaching profession, starting as an assistant in 1988 and becoming the head coach in 1996, making a massive turnaround from his 17-win rookie season to being in charge of a 56-win team after drafting Tim Duncan out of Wake Forest.
Going back in time, Kerr realizes how different his days have been, first from playing for him and later being one of his colleagues as a coach.
“Pop wasn’t Pop yet,” Kerr told Melissa Rohlin of the San Jose Mercury News . “He was a young coach. I didn’t know what to expect. But I liked him immediately on a personal level. He was a straight shooter. I know he cared about me and cared about all of the guys on the team.”
Having bagged four championships in his five years with the Bulls, Kerr was looking to be a right fit for this team after being part of a sign-and-trade.
“I just wanted to know that the coach cared about my life and my existence beyond whether I made a shot or not,” said Kerr, who had made plenty of vital shots throughout his career, including one that would seal a key win and still stands as one of the Bulls' most iconic moments. “That was the first quality that stood out. He wanted to know about my life, my background, my family, my kids.”
To this day, Kerr and Popovich share a dynamic like no other, from coworkers to colleagues, still tied by that common knot — their love for life, basketball, and what's right.
Follow Us
Subscribe
