When Steve Kerr signed with the Chicago Bulls in 1993, his prospects in the NBA were uncertain. As a sixth-year guard brought on with a non-guaranteed contract, he was excited about the prospect of teaming up with Michael Jordan. However, shortly after his arrival, an unexpected twist occurred—Jordan decided to step away from basketball to pursue a career in baseball.
This surprising turn of events actually became a career-defining moment for Kerr. In a recent appearance on The Glue Guy Podcast, Kerr reflected on how Jordan’s absence inadvertently benefited him. “Yeah. So, it actually was to my benefit in some ways that he went because it opened up a bunch of playing time,” he shared. “It was bad for the rest of the Bulls and their fan base, but it was good for me.”
The additional playing time was just what he needed to prove his worth. During his debut season in Chicago, Kerr averaged 8.6 points and 2.6 assists over 82 games—an impressive increase from his previous averages of 5.0 points and 2.2 assists.
His minutes skyrocketed from 15.5 to 24.8 per game, and being around established champions like Phil Jackson, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and Bill Cartwright taught him invaluable lessons about competing at the highest level. “And then, of course, Michael came back two years later and we started winning again,” Kerr noted. “What I learned was it’s a lot easier to develop a role on a great team with great players than on an average team, where everybody’s kind of confused about who’s the man and all that stuff. The hierarchy in Chicago allowed me, and the offense allowed me to just plug right in.”
This seamless integration into the team ultimately led to one of Kerr’s most iconic moments: hitting the game-winning jumper in Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals, securing the Bulls’ fifth championship in seven years.
READ MORE: Steve Kerr on Steph Curry’s Michael Jordan-Like Mindset
