Warriors rookie coach nearly threw away chance at NBA title

By Frank Pingue CLEVELAND (Reuters) - Steve Kerr led the Golden State Warriors to their first NBA title in 40 years on Tuesday, a feat that might never have happened had he not reconsidered an interview request. A five-time NBA champion as a player, Kerr initially declined a meeting with Golden State last year since he was already in discussions with the New York Knicks. But for Kerr, whose children attend school in California, there was a certain allure to the Oakland-based team, so he contacted them to see if they still had interest. They did, and their patience paid off as Kerr went on to become the first rookie coach to win an NBA title since Pat Riley's 1982 triumph with the Los Angeles Lakers. "I almost forgot just how grueling the stretch is. I mean, two straight months of emotional stress and physical stress," Kerr told reporters after his team's title-clinching win over the Cleveland Cavaliers capped a wild playoff run. "Just the roller coaster ride that you're on. There are days when you think, 'boy, I don't know if this is going to happen'. Then there are days that go better." Kerr had a knack for coming through in the clutch during his playing career and he did it again in guiding the Warriors past the Cavaliers. The pressure-cooker environment of playoffs can make the most qualified coaches look amateur, but Kerr coached beyond his years. An example of his smarts came last week, ahead of the biggest game of his short coaching career. With the Warriors trailing the series 2-1, Kerr changed the starting lineup of a team that won a staggering 67 games during the regular season. He handed Andre Iguodala his first start of the season and the veteran led Golden State to a pivotal victory before finishing the most valuable player of the NBA Finals. Kerr kept the decision under wraps when addressing the media 90 minutes before the game and only confessed his deception once the win was secured. "Every decision he made, I think everybody bought into it," said Warriors guard Stephen Curry, who had 25 points in the championship-sealer. "Whether you understood it or not, you bought into it. Because he's a champion. He's won five of these or something like that, so you've got to trust a guy that's been here before and his view for our team." Kerr, considered a strong leader with high basketball intelligence and great communication skills, turned down Hall of Famer Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks last year to accept the five-year deal with the Warriors. "I can't tell you how many things are going through my mind because I couldn't allow myself to think about anything like that while we were competing," said Kerr, when asked how it felt to deliver the Warriors their first title since 1975. "I could not be happier for our fan base because they support us through everything." (Editing by Ian Ransom)