ESPN.com · Oct 17, 2025
How Steve Kerr and Steph Curry became an all-time great duo
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STEVE KERR BOARDED a red-eye flight back to the Bay Area on Dec. 25, 2016, and confronted what he now calls the biggest regret of his 11 years coaching Stephen Curry.
Business had ruined the Golden State Warriors' holiday. They had blown a 14-point fourth-quarter lead to the same Cleveland Cavaliers who had ripped their hearts out in Game 7 of the NBA Finals six months prior.
In the heated aftermath, Kerr voiced his frustration about the Warriors' lack of ball security, specifically calling out his star point guard. Kerr said Curry "could be a little smarter." It became a dominant postgame talking point. Kerr cracked open his computer, saw the headline and cringed.