Bogut: "Steve Kerr's turned around my career"

[oarabbus]

Was a bit worried about Kerr prior to the season but don't miss Mark Jackson ONE BIT. Bogut and Jackson weren't on the same page, a big reason being that Bogut is an atheist and Jackson made pregame a sermon instead of being about basketball

I am LOVING the Post-Jackson Bogut

Australian NBA star Andrew Bogut has credited new Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr with turning around his career.

Bogut has almost averaged a double-double in Golden State's first 10 games this season with 8.2 points, 10.5 rebounds, a career-best three assists and 1.8 blocks.

In that period, the red-hot Warriors have won eight matches to emerge as an early contender for the NBA title.

Scoring: Andrew Bogut drives to the basket during the win over the Lakers.
Scoring: Andrew Bogut drives to the basket during the win over the Lakers. Photo: AFP
While the former No.1 draft pick said he was feeling the best he had for a long time, after a raft of serious injuries forced him to sit out more than 200 games across his 10-year career, he said being granted a licence to play a more attacking role was the main reason behind his outstanding start to the 2014-15 campaign.

"I don't think it's so much a physical thing, for me it's a big mental thing," Bogut told SEN on Tuesday. "Having a coach that has the confidence in me, even with the scorers in Steph (Curry) and Klay (Thompson), to say, 'We want you to be aggressive and look for your own shot', it does wonders for my game.

"It's huge, I'm a huge confidence player and I think Steve Kerr's been unbelievable so far.

"They're running me in the high post a lot more and utilising my passing and it's been great so far. Steve Kerr's turned around my career and getting me back involved offensively, too, helps."

Bogut said his teammates had also benefited from Kerr's style of coaching.

"He's adapted (multiple championship-winning coaches) Gregg Popovich and Phil Jackson and taken the best of all those guys and he continues to learn," the 30-year-old said of Kerr.

"I think guys are starting to feed off that, he's a very fair coach, he's not a negative guy, he's just got a positive vibe about him to be around every day and I've really enjoyed working with him so far and I think it will only get better."

The Warriors' most recent win was a crushing 136-115 result over the once-great Los Angeles Lakers, who are now languishing at the foot of the Western Conference with a dismal 1-9 record.

But Bogut wasn't sympathetic to Golden State's high-profile Californian rivals, saying it was "about time" they experienced an extended stay in the doldrums after missing the playoffs for just the sixth time in their decorated history last season.

"They're usually good every year and they seem to get a lot of favourable trades, whereas I was in Milwaukee for a number of years and the small markets don't have that window," Bogut said.

"It's usually (a case of) when you're bad you're bad a la the Philadelphia 76ers (who are 0-9) right now. It's a 5-6-year process; the Lakers usually have one or two (years before they become a contender again) so it's always good to go to LA and see the fans leaving by the fourth quarter and getting a good win."

Bogut is next in action on Friday (local time) when he takes on fellow Australians Dante Exum and Joe Ingles as the Warriors face the Jazz in Utah.

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/baske...18-11p2li.html

[Heavincent]

He's an improvement over Mark Jackson is pretty much every regard.

Alvin Gentry helps too.

[bdreason]

Jackson wanted Bogut to just play defense. Kerr recognizes that players play harder when they are involved in the offense. Bogut is a great passer, and a competent scorer around the hoop. There's no reason Bogut shouldn't be taking 10 shots a game and averaging double-digits.

[navy]

We'll see come may.

[Heavincent]

Harrison Barnes is playing much better too. 12/5 on 54% shooting

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

he has the same numbers as last year.............only difference is hes passing more

[Smoke117]

Besides assists and turnovers his numbers are basically the same as last season...

[navy]

Harrison Barnes is playing much better too. 12/5 on 54% shooting

Back in the starting lineup. Iggy tanked so its a tradeoff.

[oarabbus]

Jackson wanted Bogut to just play defense. Kerr recognizes that players play harder when they are involved in the offense. Bogut is a great passer, and a competent scorer around the hoop. There's no reason Bogut shouldn't be taking 10 shots a game and averaging double-digits.

Yup.

It would be like telling Joakim Noah to immediately give up the ball and watching his assists disappear. Major disservice to the entire team.

[Akrazotile]

Remember when espns black sports pundits all resented kerr for getting jacksons job even tho it was obvious hed be a better coach even before the games started??

[JT123]

Remember when espns black sports pundits all resented kerr for getting jacksons job even tho it was obvious hed be a better coach even before the games started??

How was it obvious?
Not saying Kerr won't be a better coach, but can we at least wait until the All Star break before making such grand declarations about how great this dude is? It's only been 10 games after all.

[Heavincent]

Remember when espns black sports pundits all resented kerr for getting jacksons job even tho it was obvious hed be a better coach even before the games started??

Yeah I definitely sensed some animosity from a few journalists. "bbbbut he's never coached before!" Yeah, neither did Mark Jackson before he got the Golden State job. Idiots.

I was a little skeptical when they first fired Jackson, just because I didn't know who his replacement would be. Don't get it twisted, he's a decent coach. He turned around a team that was trash before he got there. Kerr is a noticeable upgrade though.

[Inferno]

He's a great offensive asset and Kerr saw that

[kingsfan]

Bogut is an injury waiting to happen, it's better if you utilize him less.

[stalkerforlife]

Bogut's fragile body is his problem, not coaching.