Steve Kerr and John Stockton were two different types of players. While John Stockton was a star point guard for the Utah Jazz, one of the greatest ever, Kerr was a role player and three-point specialist for the Chicago Bulls.
Individually, John Stockton was leagues ahead of Steve Kerr. But in 1997 and 1998, when the Bulls and the Jazz faced off in the NBA Finals, Kerr’s Bulls came out on top both times. And speaking in jest once, Steve had something unflattering to say about John.
“We played Utah two years in a row,” Kerr said on Open Court. “Twelve games against John Stockton. And I have the greatest respect for him. I see him away from the court. Love him. Great guy. But he was a dirty bastard. I’m letting it out, I’m letting it out. I’ve never seen a therapist about this, so this is my time to let it out.”
John Stockton played hard, to say the least, it’s impossible to become the all-time leader in steals without getting your hands dirty. And even though Kerr had respect for Stockton’s game, the extra-curricular activities he indulged in weren’t appreciated.
While Steve Kerr claimed in the clip that he never let out his frustration about the way Stockton played, he got the last laugh in their matchups. In 1997, in particular, Kerr hit some massive shots against the Jazz to clinch the championship for the Bulls. The rivalry between the two teams ran deep, and it gave NBA fans two stellar series.
John Stockton Took His Shots At Michael Jordan And The Bulls As Well
This animosity didn’t just run one way; John Stockton and Karl Malone were denied a championship twice by the Bulls, after all. While there is mutual respect, even Stockton didn’t miss an opportunity to take a shot at Michael Jordan during his Hall Of Fame enshrinement speech.
“Out there, there’s a large group of people that traveled over 1000 miles. Some from Hawaii, some from Alaska, just to support me. You almost laugh start laughing there because I actually think they came to see Michael. You know, he makes one big shot and everybody thinks he’s kinda cool, I don’t get it.”
Rivalries are beginning to get heated in the modern NBA as well, in large part thanks to the Memphis Grizzlies, but it would be fun to see them on the Finals stage again. The league is at its best when the greatest players and teams are going at one another, and the Bulls vs. Jazz matchups from the late 90s were a great example of that.
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