SAN FRANCISCO — One game after Stephen Curry reached 4,000 3-pointers, it was Steve Kerr’s turn to make history.
Kerr became Golden State’s all-time winningest coach after the Warriors beat the New York Knicks 97-94 at the Chase Center on Saturday night. Kerr earned his 558th career regular-season victory, passing Al Attles’ franchise record.
After the win, Kerr was presented with the historic game ball by the Attles family, including Attles’ widow, Wilhelmina Attles. Kerr, the Attles family and Warriors players took a picture in the locker room in honor of the milestone.
“It was a great moment being awarded the game ball by the Attles family,” Kerr said. “It was really beautiful to be honored by their presence, and obviously Al Attles is Mr. Warrior forever. The record, it’s kind of surreal to even think that this could happen, but it’s a reflection of our organizational strength, stability and a talent level over the last 11 years since I’ve been here.
“I’m incredibly lucky to be part of this organization and part of this city and very humbled by the honor because of Al’s greatness and what he means to the franchise.”
Attles, a Hall of Famer, spent more than six decades with the Warriors as a player, coach and executive. He was head coach for 14 years and led the Warriors to their first championship in 1975. Attles died in August at 87.
Steve Kerr earned his 558th regular-season victory as head coach of the Warriors, breaking Al Attles’ franchise record. Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images
After the Warriors won their seventh straight game against the Knicks, the team played a video that included Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, former Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown and New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green offering their congratulations. Spoelstra was an assistant under Kerr with USA Basketball, and Brown and Green both served as assistants under Kerr with the Warriors.
“Congratulations,” Jackson said in the video. “And it’s been my pleasure to be around you as a player, watch you succeed as a general manager and now as a coach, all those championships and those wonderful years. Congratulations.”
Kerr, who has won four championships in his 11 seasons as head coach of the Warriors, said he was particularly inspired by seeing Jackson. Kerr was coached by Jackson in Chicago, where he won three of his six titles with the Bulls with Kerr on his roster.
“That was pretty cool,” Kerr said. “Phil, one of my mentors, the basketball education and coaching education I received from him and [former Bulls assistant] Tex Winter, I think about them literally every day. We do drill work and practice that we’ve been doing for 11 years. That goes straight back to my days in Chicago. Our offense, a lot of it is based on the triangle.
“Watching Phil over the years handle players and the relationships he built with them. Pretty special to see him offer those congratulations. That was very moving for me.”
Draymond Green and Curry praised Kerr for starting the Warriors’ winning culture.
“Oh, man, he changed everything,” Green said. “He has been as important as anybody, what this organization has become. Just the things that he’s taught me about winning … you can’t teach someone anything better than that, how to be a better winner. And just his temperament, the offense that he brought to this organization, the atmosphere that he brought to this organization, the family atmosphere. That was Steve bringing that.”
