Steve Kerr tops late Hall of Famer Al Attles for most coaching wins in Warriors history
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Steve Kerr passed late Hall of Famer Al Attles for most coaching wins in Warriors franchise history with his 558th victory Saturday night as Golden State beat the New York Knicks 97-94.
The 59-year-old Kerr has provided a stable presence on the bench and led the Warriors to their first championship in 40 years during his first season of 2014-15. He has long leaned on his deep coaching staff, too.
To begin the 2015-16 season, top assistant Luke Walton guided Golden State to a 24-0 start and 39-4 mark overall before Kerr returned following an extended absence as he dealt with debilitating complications from back surgery.
Those victories still count for Kerr’s total. He is now 558-302.
Attles died in August at age 87. He coached the 1975 NBA champion Warriors and spent more than six decades with the organization as a player, coach, general manager and team ambassador.
Kerr once even paid paid tribute to Attles by dressing up in a 1970s-style suit and appreciated all Attles meant to the franchise for six decades.
Draymond Green credits Kerr for changing the Warriors’ culture and building a family-first feel that transfers onto the court.
“He changed everything,” Green said. “He has been as important as anybody in what this organization’s become. The things that he’s taught me about winning, not just me, but I tried to pick up on little, small things. There’s one thing that he’s taught me about winning, especially when it comes to playoff time, that I won’t share until I’m done playing because I refuse to give his secret away, but it’s a pretty incredible one.”
A former NBA guard who played alongside Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls, Kerr served as general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 to 2010 and worked in TV as a color commentator before becoming Warriors coach.
He has regularly referred to his great fortune to have the chance to work with Stephen Curry, Green and Klay Thompson — a trio that captured four NBA championships. Thompson departed last offseason to join the Dallas Mavericks.
Kerr also has used his platform to speak out on social issues such as gun violence and racial injustice.
“He’s brought the best out of us,” Curry said. “We joke all the time both of us could have been in New York. Fate would have it that we were here.”
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