"Imagine if Kerr walks with Steph, Klay, and Draymond in same offseason", "Governor of California" - Fans react to Kenny Atkinson turning down Hornets job to stay with Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors returned to winning ways, lifting their seventh NBA title earlier this month. The Warriors finished their playoff run with a Game 6 victory over the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals on Thursday.
Steph Curry was crowned Finals MVP, as he won his fourth title alongside Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Steve Kerr, meanwhile, won his fourth NBA championship as Warriors head coach.
The victory was expected to mark the end of Kenny Atkinson's tenure as assistant coach with the Golden State Warriors. Many believed he would join Mike Brown out the exit door; Brown is joining the Sacramento Kings as head coach for the 2022-23 season.
Kenny Atkinson was offered the position of head coach of the Hornets, but ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that he will remain an assistant coach with the Warriors:
ESPN Sources: Kenny Atkinson has decided he won’t become the Charlotte Hornets’ head coach and will remain with Golden State as top assistant. After being offered job during the NBA Finals, further conversations led Atkinson to believe it would be best to remain with Warriors.
Predictably, NBA Reddit had a lot of strong reactions to the news:
The 2022 championship is a testament to the Golden State Warriors' player development
Golden State Warriors' ability to develop players might be second to none in the NBA. Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole have emerged as reliable rotation players, which is possibly the outcome of a dedicated coaching staff, a strong front-office and confident ownership.
Andrew Wiggins was considered a huge bust by many around the league. That was until he came to the Warriors and became the second-best player on the floor in the NBA Finals, averaging 18.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Kevon Looney went from playing just five games in his rookie campaign to playing every single game in the 2021-22 NBA season. Looney started in 80 games, more than in his first six seasons combined (70).
Looney's defensive presence along with his rebounding had a major impact on the Golden State Warriors' 2022 playoff run. His 22-rebound game against the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 6 of the Western Conference finals was the highlight of his performances.
Jordan Poole, meanwhile, started four games in the first round of the playoffs, in which he averaged 24.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Poole's contributions often came in crucial moments, such as his half-court heave in Game 5 of the Finals which gave the Warriors momentum heading into the break.