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AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP | Kerr wears many different hats

Joe Proudman
jproudman@tahoedailytribune.com
Joe Proudman / Tahoe Daily Tribune file
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Steve Kerr has worn many hats over his career: NBA champion, NBA record holder, NBA team general manager, NBA TV analyst and celebrity golfer once again. He returns to Tahoe this year for the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course after a seven-year hiatus.

His absence from the celebrity golf tourney can be credited to his time as the Phoenix Suns president of basketball operations and general manager, from which he retired from in 2010. After he returned to broadcasting for TNT and contributing to the sports website Grantland – career moves he said have helped his golf game.

“It got better since I got into broadcasting, I’ll tell you that. More time to work on it,” Kerr said about his game. “I love playing, especially now that I’m 46. My knees have kind of made me quit basketball and tennis and anything that involves running.



“To come out and play golf with a bunch of great guys in the most beautiful setting you can imagine, it doesn’t get much better,” he added. “I’m just looking to not embarrass myself. I want to have fun and maybe play a good round or two. But for the most part I’m just here enjoying myself.”

While at the ACC, Kerr fielded a few questions from the media about recent news in the NBA. There’s been a big discussion, mainly between Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, as to which Olympic Dream Team is better, the 1992 team or 2012 team.



“Well, it’s so hard to compare eras. The game is different now. Back then big players were more prominent. Now it’s become a smaller game. So you look at the roster this year. There’s basically one big guy on the team with Tyson Chandler. Back then I think they had, what, three 7-footers, dominant ones, with (Patrick) Ewing and David Robinson. So who knows? You throw it in a simulator and who knows what comes out,” Kerr said. “But I’m partial to the ’92 team. I think it’s the greatest team ever assembled. You look at the weapons on that team, the fire power with Jordan and Scottie Pippen and Charles Barkley, in particular.”

As mentioned above, Kerr was the GM of the Suns, which spanned for three years, and was asked about veteran point guard Steve Nash moving over to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“It’s like (Derek) Jeter going to the (Boston) Red Sox. If you’re a Phoenix Suns fan, it’s hard to fathom seeing Steve in purple and gold,” Kerr said. “But also when you let the emotion slip away you realize it’s a great move for everybody. Lakers needed a point guard. Steve wanted to be on a really good team that had a chance.

“(Phoenix is) not really competing with the Lakers the next couple of years. Two firsts and two seconds, they get to kind of restock their war chest. It’s a good move all around. It’s just really hard to envision Steve wearing that uniform when they had so many battles together over the years.”

Kerr’s best finish in the tournament came in 2002 when he finished 35th. He also ended the tourney 37th in 2005. In 2003 and 2004 he had his worst finishes, ending the weekend at 47th and 50th, respectively.


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