Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has apologised after an outburst directed at rookie guard Will Richard during their match against the New York Knicks.
Kerr’s frustration became visible in the second quarter of the Warriors’ 110-107 loss at Madison Square Garden. The coach admitted he knew he had overreacted.
Kerr’s Apology After Scolding Richard
Kerr told reporters at Madison Square Garden, “I kind of regret losing my composure a little bit there. It’s my job to keep the guys going, especially when we’re without so many players.”
The Warriors continued playing, including Richard, who was likely surprised by the intensity of Kerr’s reaction.
The Play That Sparked Kerr’s Ire
The incident occurred after Richard flicked a pass from Knicks guard Landry Shamet to teammate Brandin Podziemski. Richard then sprinted, anticipating a layup. However, Podziemski’s pass was heading out of bounds, and Richard attempted a behind-the-back pass to a trailing teammate.
The ball went off Podziemski’s foot and out of bounds, resulting in a turnover. Kerr reacted by shouting toward Richard, a display of anger rarely seen from him in his 13 seasons on the Golden State sideline. OG Anunoby then made a 3-pointer for the Knicks 11 seconds later.
“The ball matters!” Kerr shouted.
Turnovers Prove Costly for the Warriors
Richard’s turnover was the eighth of the Warriors’ nine turnovers in the second quarter.
The Warriors committed 18 turnovers in total. Quinten Post and Gui Santos each had five turnovers, while Podziemski committed four. Richard had two turnovers, with Kerr’s reaction focused on the second.
“I thought (Richard) could have caught the ball,” Kerr said. “It was a bad pass from BP; BP should have made a good pass, and Will’s got a dunk. (Instead) it turns into a five-point swing. I was mad at Will because I thought he could have corralled the ball and not thrown it. I thought he was trying to make an around- the-back pass for a score. I might be wrong, but I from my angle looked like he could have corralled the ball and made a stop.”
Kerr’s assessment was that Richard’s attempt to save the ball appeared desperate.
Richard’s Perspective on the Play
- Richard attempted to save a pass headed out of bounds.
- The turnover was the eighth of nine for the Warriors in the second quarter.
- Kerr believed Richard could have caught the ball.
Despite the outburst, the Warriors continued to compete, with Richard remaining in the game.