The Big Lead

Steve Kerr calls out Warriors player in rare press conference rant

By Joe Lago

Nov 10, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr yells to his team on a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Nov 10, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr yells to his team on a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second quarter at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
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Even in the most trying times, Steve Kerr chooses to accentuate the positive. He focuses on the things his Golden State Warriors do well in victory or defeat and rarely makes too much of the team's shortcomings. His coaching style is more about providing support, not so much criticism.

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That's why it was extraordinary for Kerr to offer such a public tongue-lashing of guard Brandin Podziemski on Tuesday night after the Warriors' losing streak grew to five games with a 119-115 defeat to the Denver Nuggets.

There was plenty of blame to go around for Golden State's latest loss. Andrew Wiggins finished a team-worst minus-20 in his 31 minutes and committed a costly turnover late in the game after dribbling, slipping and falling to the floor. Steph Curry, yet again, got little help offensively in crunch time as the Warriors scored only six points in the final 5:52 of the game.

Podziemski made his third straight start, his promotion coming from a much-needed lineup shakeup, and he finished with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and two steals in 25 minutes. However, he made some poor decisions, and Kerr made sure to address them with a rare rant in his postgame press conference.

Kerr was especially irked by a first-half turnover and fourth-quarter foul committed by Podziemski. The former blunder came on a five-on-four fastbreak that the 2023 first-round pick wasted with an errant lob pass. The latter mistake fueled the Nuggets' comeback after Podziemski unwisely shot a step-back 3-pointer (and missed) and then fouled Michael Porter Jr. on a 3-point attempt.

"He can not be that guy," Kerr said of Podziemski's careless lob and turnover. "And he can't foul jump shooters. And I love Brandin. Hell of a player. And he's got a hell of a future ahead of him. And I hope he watches this clip right now with me talking. Because he needs to hear it.

"He's got to be a smart, tough, great decision maker, and he's very capable of it. But that's the next step."

For most 21-year-olds in the NBA, such a scathing rebuke from your head coach would be difficult to handle. However, Podziemski embraced the criticism from Kerr.

"I mean, I agree," Podziemski told reporters. "I played poorly, defensively."

"Definitely not like me. And definitely not something I'm proud of," the 2023-24 all-rookie selection added. "I know I have to be better. I know I'm going to be better."

It's probably not the first time Kerr and his coaching staff have talked to Podziemski about taking better care of the ball and being smarter on defense. The harsh podium critique might have been the coach's final ploy for his player to finally get the message.

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