"The reason I'm still here is because Steph Curry is still here"- Steve Kerr opened up about completing 11 seasons with the Warriors
Coaching in the NBA has never been more challenging, given the increased termination rate in recent years. Among the few exceptions is Steve Kerr, who has built a solid association with the Golden State Warriors. Going strong, he is soon to enter his 12th season with the franchise.
Taking the reins from Mark Jackson in 2014, Kerr has cemented his name as a Top 15 coach in NBA history. He coached the Warriors to four championships, six Finals and a 73-9 season. However, Coach Kerr does not shy away from crediting most of his success to Stephen Curry.
During a recent appearance on the Glue Guys Podcast, Kerr discussed his successful partnership with Curry as well as experimenting with new coaching methods.
"First of all, I'm well aware the reason I'm still here is because Steph Curry is still here. I'm not being modest, I'm just telling the truth," said Kerr, drawing parallels to the relationship between Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan.
The Warriors coach added, "The only reason we're here is because the lottery fell our way, we got Tim Duncan, other people didn't. So that's how I feel about Steph. If I didn't have Steph, I would have been like every other NBA coach and lasted a few years and then gone somewhere else," mentioned Kerr, who felt Curry provided a lot of stability and continuity to the organization.
The Warriors coach-player duo
Both Kerr and Curry hold each other in high regard, recognizing their contributions to one another's careers. While Mark Jackson laid the foundation for Curry and his Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, Coach Kerr was the perfect candidate to take over from there.
In his first season as coach, he guided the Warriors to the first seed in the NBA with 67 wins, with Steph named league MVP. Not done, the duo helped end the 40-year-old championship drought. Making it to the Finals each year between 2015 and 2019, they won three titles.
Many believed their window was closed after Kevin Durant signed with the Nets during his 2019 free agency. Nonetheless, Kerr and Curry never lost faith, bouncing back in 2022 with their fourth title together. The pair has a 71.4 percent success rate with the Warriors.
Kerr addressed staying relevant with his coaching
When Kerr assumed the coaching duties of the Warriors in 2014, he took the uncharted path, finding monumental success in it. Defying most norms, the Dubs played a brand of basketball characterized by floor spacing, unselfishness, fast-paced action, and a 3-point orientation.
"The game is changing constantly. It's just amazing from year to year and to see the differences. I just think it's really important to collaborate with your staff and to encourage the young coaches to really bring a lot of ideas to the table. I really lean on my younger coaches. One of the ways the league is so different now is that it we're now a developmental league," explained Coach Kerr, who felt there was more emphasis on playing games every day over practices in the modern era.
There has been a growing narrative around Kerr lately when it comes to grooming young talent on the roster. The 2016 COTY has been facing criticism for overlooking the development of next-gen talent, as seen in the cases of James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody.
Though Curry continues to be in peak conditioning, there will come a point when he will have to hang up his boots. Hence, the front office and coaching staff must forecast and build towards a more prosperous future.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
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