MitchMash: Family has always mattered to new Warriors coach Steve Kerr

While New Yorkers — and many NBA insiders — may be scratching their heads and feeling a little disrespected, we have a good read on why Steve Kerr chose to become the next head coach of the Golden State Warriors instead of the New York Knicks.

Family.

That's not to say the Warriors franchise and its up-and-coming squad isn't incentive enough — plus a reported $25-million over five years is a pretty good swaying chip.

But c'mon. The Big Apple? Legendary coach/mentor Phil Jackson? Likely even more cash? Jackson is no Godfather, but it's an offer hard to refuse.

Simply, the Bay Area offered Kerr a chance to be near his daughter Maddy, a freshman defensive specialist on Cal's volleyball team. Plus his oldest son Nick, a sophomore basketball player at the University of San Diego, and a high school-aged son also in San Diego, Matthew, are in the Golden State as well.



Kerr told NBA.com that being close to his kids was the ultimate enticement, even though his old coach Jackson, the new GM of New York, had handpicked him. Telling his mentor Jackson he'd picked the Warriors was "agonizing," Kerr said. Mike Tannenbaum, Kerr's agent, said it all came down to "personal reasons."

That again, points directly to family.

"It just felt like the right move on many levels," Kerr said. "They have a good young team. The location is ideal. My daughter goes to Cal and plays volleyball. (Nick) is in college in San Diego and our youngest is a junior in high school. It's just a short flight for them."

We got to see how important family is to Kerr in 2009, while covering the then 20th MaxPreps/Torrey Pines Holiday Classic.

Nick was a junior at Torrey Pines (San Diego) at the time and Steve, then the GM for the Suns, was high-tailing it back-and-forth from Phoenix to watch his oldest son play.

See 1x1 interview with Steve Kerr as a father watching his son in 2009



Nick, a 6-foot-3 off-guard, averaged 19.5 points and 3.8 rebounds a game that season for the 26-4 Falcons. The following year he averaged 15.2 points per game and earned a scholarship to the University of San Diego, where he's seen limited playing time in two seasons plus a redshirt year.

But back when we talked with both in 2009, Steve said his son was much more advanced than he was coming out of high school. Steve was barely recruited out of Palisades (Pacific Palisades) in Los Angeles County. 

"I was very hesitant to shoot but Nick doesn’t have that problem," Steve said at the time. "He has a lot more confidence than I did."

Nick said it was never problem to follow in his father's footsteps, even though dad was a five-time NBA champion, made a famous game-winning jumper in the NBA Finals following a pass from Michael Jordan, and played alongside other legends Tim Duncan, Scottie Pippin and David Robinson.

He also played for two of the game's greatest coaches, Jackson and Greg Popovich.

"Never have felt any pressure," Nick said at the time. "Never felt like I had to play basketball because my dad did. I just loved to do it and learned by watching him. I’ll ask him things time to time or once in a while he’ll give me a pointer or two, but I think we’re just like any other father and son."

Said Steve: "I think he knows I'm there for him if he needs anything. And he asks every once in a while. But I want him to figure out the game himself."



Torrey Pines coach John Olive said Steve was ideal for Nick and the program.

"Honestly, you want every father of a player you coach to be Steve Kerr," Olive said. "He’s completely there for his son, he’s totally supportive of the program and has never come close to interfering."

Family and fatherhood is vital to Kerr largely because he lost his father at a young age, in a horrific manner.

His father Malcolm, the president of American University of Beirut, was ambushed and murdered by two Islamic terrorists in 1984. A terrific ESPN column by Ian O'Connor describes how Kerr didn't allow the terrorist act define his life. He has rarely, if ever, talked about it, privately or publicly.

He did make a point, in his final days with the Spurs, to make Nick a big part of the celebration.

"To have Nick around has been special," Kerr said at the time. "And then I think, 'Man, it would've been nice for me to have been the son enjoying this experience with my dad.'"



With their dad so close, the Kerr children won't have to travel nearly so far to share in his triumphs and defeats. And likewise, Kerr can share in his children's.

If he treats his players like Nick, Kerr will definitely be a player's coach.

"Honestly, we just want him to have fun playing the game," Steve said. "No matter what, we’re proud of him."