Golden State Warriors: 10 Fun facts about the 2021-22 NBA season
By Tony Pesta
Steve Kerr is NBA’s third longest-tenured coach
Longevity is a tough thing to obtain in the NBA. In this world of constant roster changes and front office overhauls, it is quite impressive to see Steve Kerr entering his eighth season as head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
Kerr’s eight years in the Bay give him the longest tenure of any current coach besides Erik Spoelstra (14) and Gregg Popovich (26). Of this group, Kerr is tied with Spoelstra for championships as head coach (three) while Popovich leads the pack at five.
When Kerr began his job with the Dubs in 2014, the franchise was a sleeping giant. He led them to a surprising run to the top of the West in his first year as Stephen Curry transcended into superstar status. His prior experience as a five-time player champion allowed Kerr to instantly click with a budding dynasty.
Lately, however, Kerr has faced more adversity than ever. He has missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons as injuries and seismic changes to the roster have made the waters murky. He’ll need to adjust in order to continue being one of the league’s longest-tenured coaches. But, hopes should be high for Kerr. After all, he is clearly doing something right.