Oftentimes, some NBA stars seem to be ready to win a championship until somebody else snatches the trophy out of their hands. It’s happened to almost every legend, including Wilt Chamberlain, who lost many times against Bill Russell, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and John Stockton, who lost to Michael Jordan and more recently Chris Paul, who couldn’t get past the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Being in the right place at the right moment sometimes is very important if you want to win a ring in the association, and we’ve seen some players that found themselves in the right situation and won the Larry O’Brien trophy.
One of the biggest proofs of that is Steve Kerr, who was very successful as a player although he wasn’t a star. After winning three straight championships with the Chicago Bulls, Kerr joined the San Antonio Spurs, extending his streak and becoming one of the few players who have won four titles in a row.
Nobody thought Kerr would be able to pull this off, but he did. During the first years of his career, not many people thought Kerr would finish his career as a 5-time NBA champion, especially after knowing how bad he played in Orlando.
Recently, Shaquille O’Neal recalled the time he spent with Kerr in Florida, telling people that the former guard was a terrible shooter during his time with the Magic and that everything changed for him when he joined the Chicago Bulls. During a recent edition of his “The Big Podcast with Shaq,” O’Neal had this to say:
“Me and D-Scott played with Steve Kerr. He couldn’t hit a shot! He could not hit a shot. That man went to the Bulls, and he got five rings.”
Life has been pretty happy for Kerr on the court. He was a five-time champion when his time as a player ended, and now as a coach, he’s added four more titles to his impressive resume. In the second case, however, Kerr had to fight harder as the Golden State Warriors head coach, leading Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green through good and hard times.
Some can say he’s been lucky to be in these positions, but to become a champion you have to act like one and beat the best of the best, which is exactly what Kerr has done.
