Awesome to see great things happen to great people. I wish @SteveKerrTNT
& Stan Van Gundy all the best with the Warriors and the Pistons.
— Sean Miller (@UACoachMiller) May 15, 2014
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FORMER ARIZONA PLAYERS AS HEAD COACHES
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Steve Kerr made $15.8 million as a player, just signed for $25 million as a coach.
— Tom Haberstroh (@tomhaberstroh) May 15, 2014
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Arizona Wildcats legendary player Steve Kerrwill be the third elite point guard from the Lute Olsonera to be a head coach when he coaches the Golden State Warriors next year.
Yahoo! Sports is reporting that Kerr spurned overtures from New York Knicks president Phil Jacksonand signed a five-year, $25 million contract with the Warriors on Wednesday.
Kerr, the first former Arizona player to become a head coach in the NBA, joins Reggie Geary(Japan pro league) and Jason Gardner(Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis) as Wildcat point guard standouts who are now head coaches. Another, Damon Stoudamire, is reportedly a front-runner for the Oregon State job .
Another point guard, Jason Terry, who is near retirement after 15 seasons in the NBA, has mentioned that he will coach after his playing career.
The other two coaches who are former Wildcats — Craig McMillanand Josh Pastner— also played at the guard position for Olson. McMillan (head coach at Santa Rosa, Calif., Junior College) was a shooting guard and Pastner (University of Memphis) a reserve point guard.
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Wildcat Nation should all congratulate @SteveKerrTNT
on being named the new head coach of the @warriors
! #BearDown
pic.twitter.com/VEVjqVrcyP
— Arizona Basketball (@APlayersProgram) May 15, 2014
Kerr’s hiring by Golden State also gives Arizona two leaders of a major professional organization . Former Arizona baseball All-American Terry Franconamanages the Cleveland Indians.
Kerr became a prime candidate for the Golden State position after the Warriors’ brass did not renew Mark Jackson’scontract. Kerr has strong relationships with Warriors owner Joe Lacob, son Kirk Lacob(who works in Golden State’s front office) and Warriors president Rick Welts, with whom Kerr worked closely in Phoenix.
Congrats to my friend @SteveKerrTNT
– new Head coach of the @warriors
– great teammate and will be a great coach. #GoodLuck
— David Robinson (@DavidtheAdmiral) May 15, 2014
Kerr’s decision to coach Golden State instead of the Knicks makes sense inasmuch as he can stay close to his San Diego home, and his daughter Maddie Kerris a volleyball player at Cal .
Former Arizona forward Andre Iguodalasigned a four-year, $48 million dollar contract with Golden State before last season. Stephen Curry’scontract also runs through the 2016-17 season. Klay Thompsonwill become a free agent after next season.
Steph Curry/Klay Thompson/Steve Kerr shooting contests should make for fun practices
— Turn On The Knicks (@TurnOnTheKnicks) May 15, 2014
STEVE KERR’S ARIZONA ACCOMPLISHMENTS — Three-point field goal season and career record percentage of 57.3 in 1987-88
— School-record 50 minutes played at Cal on Jan. 12, 1986
— School-record 38.4 minutes a game in the 1984-85 season
— No. 19 Arizona career scoring list with 1,445 points
— 1987-88 USBWA Most Courageous Athlete
— Two-time All-Pac-10 selection
— 2003 Pac-12 Hall of Honor inductee
If you had told me at this moment, in '86, all that would happen to @SteveKerrTNT
, I would have believed every word. pic.twitter.com/lg8LrOFtXD
— Todd Walsh (@ToddWalsh) May 15, 2014
ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He also writes articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports .
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