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The Last Dance: Former Arizona Wildcat Steve Kerr stood up to Michael Jordan

By Shereen Rayan

18 Oct 1997: Michael Jordan, left, Luc Longley, center, and Steve Kerr, right, of the Chicago Bulls watch the action from the bench between the Chicago Bulls and the Olympiakos during the McDonald''s Championship at the Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy in Paris, France. The Bulls won the game 104-78. Mandatory Credit: John Gichigi /Allsport
18 Oct 1997: Michael Jordan, left, Luc Longley, center, and Steve Kerr, right, of the Chicago Bulls watch the action from the bench between the Chicago Bulls and the Olympiakos during the McDonald''s Championship at the Palais Omnisports De Paris-Bercy in Paris, France. The Bulls won the game 104-78. Mandatory Credit: John Gichigi /Allsport /
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Former Arizona Wildcat Steve Kerr is an accomplished basketball player and coach on all levels, but who knew he could also throw a punch?

Former Arizona Wildcat Steve Kerr and Chicago Bull from 1993-1998 is the current Head Coach of the three-time NBA Championship team, the Golden State Warriors. He has learned from and has played with and for many hugely successful NBA stars and coaches.

Kerr has been through a lot in his life, and even at the professional level he didn’t back down from one of the greatest players of all time, Michael Jordan.

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In episode eight of the documentary The Last Dance, regarding MJ and the Chicago Bulls’ reign in the NBA, we found out how Kerr punched MJ and how that helped to cement their relationship.

Coincidentally enough, Kerr and Jordan have some things in common. Both of them lost their fathers to murderers, and a few days after Kerr lost his dad, he played rival ASU.

Supported by Wildcats fan at McKale, Kerr went on to perform well. Coach Chuck Cecil reminded us in a Tweet last night:

"“UA-ASU 1.20.84. Days after friend, @APlayersProgram @SteveKerr’s dad, Malcolm was assassinated, #Tucson fans rallied around him. A moment of silence & Kerr wd go on 2 rock McKale. “Steeeeve Keeeerrr.” Share ur memories below. “"

In contrast, Jordan lost his dad while playing in the NBA, which led to his first NBA retirement and entrance into Major League Baseball, where he played for the Chicago White Sox. But after attending a Bulls practice as a fan, he slowly changed his mind and decided to come back to the NBA to play under Phil Jackson for the Chicago Bulls.

It took some time for Jordan to get his basketball body back, and his mojo, however Jordan ended up really determined, after losing to Orlando in 1994/1995 in his first season back, to win the Championship the following season.

During one of the practices, Jordan was talking a lot of trash as he often did, and Jackson told Kerr to guard Jordan in a scrimmage. Jackson started calling ticky-tack fouls, protecting Kerr in a scrimmage and that pissed off Jordan because he wanted Kerr to be tough and ready on defense for the season.

Jordan had enough with his coach and fouled Kerr, assuming hard, and told Jackson, “Now that’s a f—–ng foul!” Kerr had enough and finally punched MJ in the chest. Jordan shot back and punched Kerr in the eye giving him a black eye.

Jackson promptly kicked Jordan out of practice. “I just haul off and hit him right in the f—ing eye. And Phil just throws me out of practice,” said Jordan in the eighth episode of the documentary “The Last Dance” which aired on Sunday evening.

“I have a lot of patience as a human being, but I tend to snap at some point cause I’m extremely competitive too, just not really good enough to back it up usually, but if I’m going, I’m going to fight,” Steve Kerr responded in the documentary. I guess you could say Kerr took Bear Down to an extreme ha ha. Kerr was one of only players so far in the documentary that stood up to Jordan, and Jordan respected it in a way.

https://twitter.com/TreymondGreen/status/1259688717867839489?s=20

Jordan asked for Kerr’s phone number, feeling horrible about the whole altercation, and the two talked it out. Both dealing with losing their dad’s to murder, both had strong personalities, but they also both agree that the exchange of punches was necessary for their relationship to flourish. Kerr was a part of the Bulls’ second Championship three-peat with teammate Michael Jordan.

If you compare the two, the findings are quite interesting:

  • Rings: Jordan 6, Kerr 8 (5 as a player, 3 as a coach)
  • Seasons in the NBA: Both played 15 seasons
  • Playoffs: Jordan played in 13 playoffs, Kerr in 11
  • All-Star games: Jordan 14 Kerr 0
  • Most wins in a season: Jordan 72 (1995/1996 Bulls), Kerr as well, but also as a coach when the Warriors won a league record, 73 games (2015-16).

Steve Kerr has played with and coached many famous NBA stars:

  • Coaches played for: Lute Olson, Phil Jackson, and Gregg Popovich
  • Played with: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Shaquille O’Neal, Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen, Michael Jordan and also Wildcats Sean Elloitt and Jud Buechler.
  • Coached: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Dreymond Green, Andre Iguodala and Kevin Durant.

Next. More on Steve Kerr on ZonaZealots.... dark

I generally don’t condone violence, but tempers flare in competition, and you just have to smile when you think of the one player who stood up to and gained the respect of Michael Jordan was a Wildcat. And not just any Wildcat, but arguably the most accomplished Wildcat in the NBA with eight rings. Our beloved Steve Kerr who took Bear Down to a new level.

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