The Steve Kerr Moment

The Steve Kerr moment exists wherever Steve Kerr exists. 

In Chicago, Michael Jordan comes to him and speaks of John Stockton. He warns Kerr to be ready. The two sit on the Bulls bench. The noise of the crowd washes everything, but Kerr's voice can be heard: "When he comes off, I'll be ready." 

Everyone knows this. It is a parable in Jordan's journey. It is used to make the hero appear humble, willing to allow others to bear the weight. 

Yet, as Kerr's own basketball career continues to emerge, like basketball itself from the shadows of Jordan. This moment speaks as much about Kerr as it does Jordan. Where Jordan perhaps faked humility, Kerr perhaps faked confidence. 

In short, he lied, claiming years later with Kenny Smi,th seated next to him on a couch, that he was anything other than confident.

And perhaps Kerr is just that a confidence man. 

After all, when the Golden State Warriors fell behind the Cleveland Cavaliers two games to one, he lied to the press about whom he planned to start.  

Then there is the moment with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003 when he rose from the bench and rescued Tim Duncan, David Robinson, and Gregg Popovich from the Dallas Mavericks.

Never highly recruited out of high school, Kerr's combined success as a player and coach should never have happened. Even as he shot 57.3% from the field in Arizona's 1988 Final Four run under Lute Olson, he was neither the team's best player nor its best athlete. Those accolades belonged to the likes of Shaun Elliott, Tom Tolbert, and Kenny Lofton. 

Yet Kerr is the one whose ability to always be in the right place at the right time, whether coming off a screen, rising from the bench, or choosing to cross the Golden Gate Bridge over the Brooklyn Bridge, has allowed him to not only witness but to author the NBA's most sacred texts: the narrative of championship basketball. In this sense, he is like Hermes emerging from his mother's cave, shaping the lyre, stealing Apollo's cattle, and singing his own name into the hymns of Olympus. 

How did this happen? 

Steve Kerr probably knows, but he will probably never tell. And, if he did, why would any of us ever believe him? 

Here's to the one no one ever saw coming. May he continue on his journey to and from the briar patch. 

Bryan Harvey can be followed @LawnChairBoys.