{"id":734799,"date":"2026-05-15T06:27:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T06:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/734799\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T06:27:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T06:27:15","slug":"renowned-espn-writer-says-steve-kerr-story-was-his-favorite-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/734799\/","title":{"rendered":"Renowned ESPN writer says Steve Kerr story was his ‘favorite profile’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Preeminent ESPN\u00a0feature writer Wright Thompson posted an ode to his favorite San Francisco spots on the day his massive profile about Warriors<\/a> coach Steve Kerr dropped.<\/p>\n

The profile from Thompson, a nationally renowned sports reporter who has won numerous awards, got\u00a0some public anticipation<\/a> in the last few weeks, especially as\u00a0Kerr sat without a contract<\/a> for next season for more than three weeks. San Francisco Standard columnist Tim Kawakami mentioned Thompson\u2019s presence<\/a> around Kerr in the weeks leading up to the end of the season, saying he took Thompson being around as a sign Kerr was genuinely considering stepping away from the Warriors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kawakami was right, according to Thompson\u2019s profile. Kerr said he entered the first play-in game against the Clippers convinced he would be done coaching after this season. But a few minutes after Golden State\u2019s comeback win, Kerr told Thompson in a private moment, \u201cI\u2019m not leaving,\u201d then went to open his text messages and saw what his wife Margot had texted him: \u201cYou\u2019re not leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kerr had several options had he decided to leave Golden State, which apparently included becoming an NBA franchise\u2019s president, coaching a team in France and going back to television \u2014\u00a0including for Thompson\u2019s employer ESPN, though a network executive refuted a report from\u00a0Kawakami<\/a> about the offer presented to Kerr. In the end, though,\u00a0Kerr chose to stay<\/a> and continue coaching the Warriors, a decision that became official Tuesday and set up Thursday\u2019s big story.<\/p>\n

Thompson is a frequent Instagram user, and on Thursday he\u00a0posted a photo of his laptop<\/a> on a bench in Washington Square Park in North Beach. In the caption, Thompson called the\u00a0Kerr piece his \u201cfavorite profile\u201d he\u2019s ever done, and listed the many San Francisco institutions where he wrote the story.<\/p>\n

Most of Thompson\u2019s \u201coffices\u201d were split between North Beach and the Cow Hollow\/Marina area. Thompson specifically shouted out Original Joe\u2019s, Firenze, Tony\u2019s Pizza, La Rocca\u2019s Corner, City Lights Bookstore, Mario\u2019s Bohemian Cafe, Brazen Head, Golden Gate Deli, Balboa Cafe and Sohunan, located near the Transamerica Pyramid.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While a good chunk of the story takes place while Golden State was on the road, Thompson clearly spent quite a bit of time with Kerr in San Francisco. Thompson wrote about frequent walks through the Presidio with Kerr and Kerr\u2019s dog, Lulu. On his Instagram, Thompson called La Rocca\u2019s \u201cHonestly best bar in America\u201d in a January post<\/a> and said Golden Gate Deli<\/a> was his \u201cNew obsession\u201d last week. Thompson also posted meals from Saigon Sandwich in the Tenderloin, Go Duck Yourself in Bernal Heights and a drink coin from Red Jack Saloon near Fisherman\u2019s Wharf.<\/p>\n