“Everything in my career is because of playing with you” - Steve Kerr on a heartfelt message he recently gave Michael Jordan - United States News Beep

Michael Jordan is basketball’s GOAT, celebrated for his basketball achievements, competitive fire, and cultural impact. And as much praise as he is given for elevating his teammates’ level of play, the truth is, he wasn’t the easiest person to play with.

Whether in actual basketball games or practices, MJ demanded excellence from everyone around him. It was a bar so high that players were left with no choice but to meet it or else incur Jordan’s famously vicious wrath.

A player who dealt with this daily for five seasons was sharpshooting guard Steve Kerr. A former Arizona star who made a name for himself as a lights-out shooter, a necessity for any Jordan-led team, Kerr was a ballsy player who famously stood up to MJ in practice and got punched in the eye for it.

At the same time, Kerr was also one whom Jordan trusted on the court. In fact, the 6’6″ wingman notably gave the ball up to Kerr in the dying seconds of Game 6 of the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. With the game tied at 86-all, Jordan passed to a wide-open Kerr, who drained a jumper to give the Bulls the lead, and a few seconds later, their fifth championship.

It’s safe to say the two have a lot of history together, a history that was recently rekindled when they bumped into one another in the lobby of an undisclosed hotel.

Kerr will forever be grateful

Jordan would say later on that by making that clutch shot, he had earned his stripes—a statement that Kerr found somewhat funny, considering he already had nine years of NBA experience at that time. However, Kerr accepted that it was quintessential Jordan.

“He was not an easy teammate. He drove us so hard and held everyone to such high standards that he literally drove people off the team,” Kerr revealed in a separate interview.

Pressure makes diamonds and it cannot be denied that the constant pressure that Jordan placed on his teammates made them better players.

The ones who never wilted under MJ’s fierce gaze never wavered in tense moments—something that Kerr exhibited late in his career when he won a few more championships with the San Antonio Spurs and during his time as head coach of the Golden State Warriors.

ESPN’s Wright Thompson recently wrote a lengthy piece on Kerr and revealed that the two recently bumped into one another.

“He ran into Michael Jordan recently in the hall of a hotel. Literally rounded a corner and almost collided. The two old survivors of the last dance greeted each other with respect and love,” Thompson penned.

With their schedules packed and Jordan now busy with leading his NASCAR team, Kerr knew moments like those won’t come often. So he took time to get something off his chest.

“Thank you,” Kerr relayed to Jordan. “Everything that has happened in my career is because of playing with you.”

Kerr has earned everything he has

Upon hearing those words, Jordan pushed the compliment aside. He had watched from afar as Kerr had successfully transitioned from a gritty player to a head coach who had masterfully built a modern-day dynasty—one with four NBA championships.

“You’ve earned it,” Jordan responded.

“You’ve earned all of it.”

Anyone who has followed Jordan and his career knows that it takes a lot for him to give praise to another. His fiery competitive nature just wouldn’t allow him. However, in the rare moments that he does offer someone praise, know that the fact that he’s going out of his comfort zone to do so means he absolutely means every word.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on May 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“Everything in my career is because of playing with you” – Steve Kerr on a heartfelt message he recently gave Michael Jordan

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