In late May 2014, Stephen Curry spoke on one of the NBA’s most pressing stories: his team, the Golden State Warriors, had just fired Mark Jackson and hired Steve Kerr as their new head coach.
Today, it’s clear that the move was a masterstroke — arguably one of the best in franchise history. At the time, however, the excitement wasn’t immediate.
Curry, then 26, made that clear in front of the media, saying, according to ESPN, that the “semi-quick hire” of Kerr came as “kind of a shock” to him and many of his teammates.
Warriors’ coaching shakeup
In the NBA, as in life, hindsight is key, but at the time, Chef Curry didn’t have that luxury. It showed when he — now an 11-time All-Star and two-time MVP — spoke about the Warriors’ controversial coaching change.
Jackson, hired in June 2011, was let go after nearly three years. For Curry, it was hard to digest — after all, he was losing more than just an NBA companion.
“He (Jackson) was a sign of stability for me,” the legendary 6’2″ guard said. “I had three coaches in three years, and he embodies what I know is good around here with the Warriors — winning and that kind of feel. It was a lot different in my first few years.”
Coach Jackson wasn’t just a stabilizing figure and symbol of winning for the future franchise icon; he marked a turning point for the entire team. After all, in only their second season under the New York native, the Warriors reached the playoffs for the first time in five years.
Many thought there was much more to come with “Action” at the helm, yet Golden State’s front office saw things differently. While the former NBA point guard had clearly improved the team, executives questioned whether he had the pedigree to lead a team to the promised land.
Eventually, they found their answer and acted accordingly, which came as a shock to Steph, who had reportedly told the front office to keep Mark.
“There’s no sugarcoating it — it was a weird, expedited situation that we didn’t see coming,” remarked the lottery pick from 2009.
Shaping history
While Curry had long admired Jackson, who recognized his and Klay Thompson’s potential earlier than most, he couldn’t ignore the front office’s pedigree argument. For the “Baby-Faced Assassin,” it was simple: the Dubs were — like him — obsessed with winning and doing whatever it took to achieve it.
“Each decision is geared toward winning,” Steph said. “That’s something that flies well with a lot of players — that they’re going to try to put us in the best position to win. Obviously, I had a certain opinion of Coach Jackson that they made a decision otherwise, and I heard the reasons, but I won’t dwell on it.”
The consummate professional, Curry was already focused on winning, and he saw the same mindset in new head coach Kerr, who had last worked in the Phoenix Suns’ front office before signing a five-year, $25 million deal in the Bay.
Looking ahead, Steph said, “We’ll be fine,” words that, in hindsight, hugely understated what was to come. After all, Golden State sparked an NBA dynasty, claiming three titles in the mid-to-late 2010s and another in 2022.