Warriors' Steve Kerr echoes LeBron James on dubbing Steph Curry as 'most influential' NBA player
Steve Kerr has coached Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors to four championships in his 10-year stint with the Dubs. Three of those titles were accomplished against LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers from 2015 to 2017. The coach had a courtside view of those epic battles between two legendary players.
Like Kerr, the LA Lakers superstar has been appreciative of what “Chef Curry” has done for the game. On “Mind the Game Pod” with co-host JJ Redick, James declared that Curry and Allen Iverson were the most influential players he has ever seen. The four-time MVP emphasized how those two undersized point guards “defied the odds” to become great.
Steve Kerr couldn’t agree more when asked to comment about LeBron James’ assessment of Steph Curry’s impact on basketball:
“I think that is really, really accurate. And I would agree without really giving it a ton of thought. … What Steph [Curry] has done is he’s just made it normal to shoot a million threes and to shoot 32-footers. Nobody else did that.”
Steve Kerr has seen firsthand what the NBA’s deadliest shooter has done for the Golden State Warriors over the years. Arguably no player manipulates defenses the way his electric point guard does. Curry’s presence halfway through the entire court deserves constant attention from defenders. The two-time MVP does not even have to hold the ball to cause panic among his opponents.
LeBron James said that Steph Curry’s ability to shoot over the “Empire State Building” has dramatically changed how the game is played. The four-time MVP compared it to the way Allen Iverson also influenced guards to attack the rim even if undersized. For him, Curry and “AI” are the biggest influencers he has seen, even over Michael Jordan.
LeBron James: Steph Curry ushered the ‘No lead is safe era’ in the NBA
Before Steph Curry revolutionized how basketball is played, LeBron James and JJ Redick agreed that garbage minutes came early in the NBA. Back then, coaches would empty their bench with about eight minutes left if their respective teams were leading by over 17 points. Today, it’s no longer the case.
Coaches, including Steve Kerr, keep their best players on the court for nearly the entire game. They only field seldom-used backups with about two minutes left while holding at least a 15-point lead.
LeBron James said that he knew exactly when that started to change:
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“I believe in ‘08, ‘09, or whatever that little light-skinned f**ker came in the league that’s in Golden State? He changed that whole narrative.”
Steve Kerr has had a front row ticket to many of those outbursts from Steph Curry where sizable leads melt in minutes. He has often relied on his superstar to carry them through rough stretches. The Golden State Warriors built a dynasty behind that almost inimitable level that Curry brings.