Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, winner of nine NBA rings as a player and coach, spoke with our senior squad and management on his sporting philosophy at the Ciudad Deportiva Antonio Asensio.
Having played for numerous sides during his playing career – including the Chicago Bulls and Phoenix Suns – Kerr shared how his experiences have moulded him into the coach he is today.
"My philosophy as a coach is based on two things: play with joy,” he told our players and staff. “I always reinforce it with my team, the importance of playing with that joy; while the other is competitiveness. We try to find the balance between playing with a lot of joy and trying to crush the opponent at the same time. Stephen Curry is the perfect image of joy and competitiveness. When you watch him play, you see him with a smile but also when he's on the bench.
"I played 15 years in the NBA, and I used to be a reserve. As a coach, I identify a lot with players who don't play as much. The most important thing I discovered as a reserve is that when you give yourself to the team and your teammates, you become more valuable. Success becomes more likely if you give yourself; it's a paradox. It's hard: you don't play for four or five games, but you have to understand that your energy and your role on the team is crucial to success.
"Training with Michael Jordan was difficult, it was not always easy,” he continued. “In every training session, he set the level. It was very intense. You had to perform at every training session, but you knew you were getting better and better and he pushed us to achieve it.”
