Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr: The Bond

in 2009 shortly after the NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors were involved in possible trade talks with the Phoenix Suns.

Of course, this probably happens more than we even realize it. What makes this instance unique is that the general manager for the Suns at that time was none other than Steve Kerr. And the player he wanted?

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Stephen Curry.

Kerr was willing to break up Phoenix’s core as he offered star power forward Amar’e Stoudemire. That’s how much he wanted the diminutive point guard out of Davidson. That’s how much he wanted to pair Curry with 2x MVP Steve Nash in that fast paced, three-point happy offense.

Fortuntately, the trade never went through and Kerr and Curry temporarily went their own ways. Kerr traded in his general manager position for the broadcaster’s booth. Curry struggled with roster turnover and injuries until he found success with Mark Jackson.

Jackson clashed with everyone except his players. They all swore by him especially Curry. Even after the caterpillar was let go, the star guard defended and supported him. That was the risk Joe Lacob took firing the coach; the players would be unhappy. Kerr had a lot of work to do even before considering the actual basketball aspect.

Of course, Curry is no regular superstar. He doesn’t make demands. He doesn’t throw tantrums. He’s low-maintenance and cooperative. Despite his support of Jackson, Curry accepted that Kerr was the new coach.

May 4, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr shakes hands with guard Stephen Curry before Curry receives MVP award at the Oakland Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Curry, already an All-Star, wasn’t anywhere near where he could be. So Kerr pushed him. He pushed him in ways that he hadn’t been pushed in his professional career. Offensively, he was already a wizard. It was the defense that needed to be improved. So Kerr–along with his top notch assistant staff–let Curry grow defensively. He didn’t hide him. He let him guard the Chris Pauls and Russell Westbrooks of the world. And in doing so, Curry became the best point guard in the NBA.

Kerr trusted his star guard. He trusted that Curry could become the player he proved to be and trusted that he could be solidify the league’s best defense guarding top point guards on a nightly basis. He’s called him, on several occasions, a combination of Nash and Tim Duncan. Those aren’t bad names to be compared to.

The relationship between a coach and his star player is obviously very important. It doesn’t matter how good they are, if there’s tension then they won’t succeed. They could secure a top 4 seed in the playoffs and maybe win a couple rounds. But you don’t cap off a historically great season with a championship without a chemistry between the coach and the star.

The bond that Kerr and Curry have developed is special. It’s more than X’s and O’s and stats. It’s about the intangibles. Two fantastic shooters competing against each other in regular free throw contests. Though their backgrounds are slightly different, both players overcame difficult obstacles at various points in their life which contributed to their confident styles of play. Two hungry men that don’t just want to win, they need to win.

This may not necessarily be Gregg Popovich/Duncan. But it could be. Or it could be some variation. They have one championship under their belt. Curry is entering the prime of his career and Kerr just completed his first season; they have a lot of room to grow. But there’s something there. It’s evident. Kerr lets Curry do what he does best: improvise. And Curry can accept when Kerr does what he does best: game plan.

Kerr almost joined the New York Knicks and Curry his former coach that supported James Harden for MVP. All that is in the past. Together, Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr have one of the best superstar/coach relationships in the league. They’ve won one in their first year together and together they can win more.

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