Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr knows a thing or two about winning. But he learned far more than just a thing or two in playing with Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.
Kerr spoke with the “Men in Blazers” of NBC Sports about what it was like to play with the Bulls during their dynastic run at the end of the 1990s, saying that Jordan taught him to “go for it” and never to worry about failure.
"The thing that I took from @Jumpman23 was that you go for it every time, every play. You never, ever worry about failure."
The Men in Blazers @SteveKerr Special airs Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN. @NBCSportsSoccer @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/9oAyAnvV4u
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) November 8, 2019
Of course, Jordan's fearless nature would eventually rub off on Kerr.
With the Bulls and Utah Jazz tied at 86-86 in the final seconds of Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Jordan famously turned to Kerr in the Bulls huddle. Jordan told Kerr to be ready in case Jazz point guard left Kerr open in order to double Jordan. As it turned out, that is exactly what happened.
Stockton came over to double Jordan, who fed Kerr for the go-ahead jumper with five seconds remaining. The Bulls would then steal the subsequent Jazz inbound, winning their fifth NBA championship.
However, Jordan's fierce competitiveness also rubbed Kerr — amongst others — the wrong way at times. The two famously scuffled during training camp in the fall of 1995, forcing head coach Phil Jackson to throw Jordan out of practice and sending Kerr for an ice pack.
Still, Kerr has never lost sight of what it takes to win a championship. As head coach of the Warriors, he has repeatedly stressed each season as a journey and a grind, something that members of the Bulls certainly felt during their run in the 90s.
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