Steve Kerr is finally opening up about why he spurned mentor Phil Jackson and the storied New York Knicks franchise for the Golden State Warriors.
"I would much rather have talent and expectations than a low bar with a rebuilding process ahead" Kerr told ProBasketballTalk.com.
And with that, the Warriors welcomed their new rookie coach to town on Tuesday with raised expectations new commitment.
"My view is not 'we have to win 52 games next year' or 'we have to get to the second round,'" Kerr said of his goals at the outset of his Warriors career. "My view is 'What are we going to do the next decade?' 'What are we going to do the next five years?' My goal is to continue this upward trend the organization is on."
Phil Jackson targets Steve Kerr
Kerr took added measures to assure Warriors' fans that he will be up to the task of guiding the team despite his relatively thin resume.
"This is something I have thought about for a long time," he said. "I've been in the NBA 26 years, now, 15 as a player, eight as a broadcaster, three as a general manager, and the greatest moments of my career have come through team building. Whether it was going to the Final Four with my teammates in Arizona or being on champion teams with Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich, it is the magic of those experiences."
Kerr also admits the lure of having a roster that includes the likes of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and David Lee intrigued him.
"I felt like I was choosing between two unbelievable opportunities," he said. "The Knicks, the brand speaks for itself, Phil Jackson, he's been one of my mentors, the thought of him guiding me through my young coaching career was enticing. There were a lot of great things about the Knicks, he laid out a great plan. But when I sat down with the Warriors it just clicked. It was a better fit for me on a lot of fronts."
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