Still on target

SAN ANTONIO–For deadshot Steve Kerr, playing on a National Basketball Association (NBA) championship team is like a sweet refrain. It keeps humming back to him. And Kerr has made it a habit to sing the tune all the way to the bank.

Kerr, 37, is in the record books as one of only three active players with at least five NBA rings. The others are Robert Horry with five and Scottie Pippen with six. Michael Jordan would’ve made it to the elite cast but announced his retirement–again–at the end of the regular season so technically, he’s no longer an active player. Like Pippen, Jordan owns six of those finger beauties.

Ian O’Connor of USA Today pointed out that Kerr has played on more title teams than Larry Bird or Jerry West or Wilt Chamberlain.

Kerr was picked on the second round by the Phoenix Suns in the 1988 draft. He played sparingly for the Suns then moved to Cleveland, Orlando and Chicago. With the Bulls, Kerr found his place in the NBA sun as an outside bomber.

When Jerry Krause dismantled the Bulls in 1998, Kerr signed a five-year $11 Million contract to suit up for the San Antonio Spurs. He brought his luck to the Alamo City as the Spurs captured the NBA crown in 1999. Kerr was traded to Portland in 2001 but returned to San Antonio after a year to rejoin Tim Duncan and David Robinson for a run at a fifth crown.

This past regular season, Kerr averaged 4.0 points and 12.7 minutes in 75 games. He shot 39.5 percent from three-point distance. Although his minutes were dramatically reduced, Kerr didn’t mind. He worked out just as hard, maybe even harder, than when he used to play much longer during his Chicago years. Nobody could question Kerr’s work ethic.

Kerr was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and lived in Cairo and Paris because his parents worked abroad. His father Malcolm was an academician. In 1984, Islamic terrorists murdered Kerr’s father, then the president of the American University in Beirut.

"Terrorism didn’t start on September 11," said Kerr’s mother Ann. "Our September 11 happened in 1984. My husband was killed for being an American."

The 6-3 Kerr said playing for the Bulls was the best thing that ever happened to his career. "Being with the Bulls gave me a better reputation than I deserved," he said. "It happens when you win a championship. Everyone assumes you are better than you really are. It happened with a lot of us, being put in a situation on a team with Michael and Scottie and Phil Jackson."

Before the NBA Finals began this season, Kerr said he was just as excited as he was playing in his first title series. To a certain extent, Jordan and Duncan are alike in that they’re both leaders.

"For years, Shaq (O’Neal) was the league’s dominant big guy," said Kerr in a Star interview. "He was a man among boys. But this year, Tim has finally become the best big man in the league. He’s a lot like Kevin McHale only bigger and stronger."

Kerr said because the Spurs and the New Jersey Nets are defense-oriented, he didn’t expect to play too much in the Finals. "I’m not the greatest defender," he confessed. "But I believe in our system. It worked against L.A."

Kerr said Chip Engelland is still his shooting coach. "He couldn’t fly in for the Finals but we’re always in touch," he noted. "When I have problems in shooting, I call him. During the season, we got together a few times so he could look at my form."

In Game 5, Kerr came off the bench to score six points in nine minutes of the fourth period as he hit the key baskets to ice the contest for the Spurs. He sat out Games 1 and 3 and played less than a minute in Games 2 and 4. But when coach Gregg Popovich called on him with 9:02 left in Game 5 and the Nets threatening, Kerr was ready to rock.

In Game 6, Kerr also logged nine minutes and netted two points. For the Finals, Kerr hit 3-of-4 field goals in all.

"I prepare myself every game the same way," said Kerr. "I work hard on the offdays to try to stay in shape. I shoot a lot in the pre-game and to get a nice sweat going, a nice rhythm, and I think more than anything, I have the experience of playing for 15 years to not get too nervous. I’m at a point in my career now where I just understand. Just shoot if you’re open and if you miss, you miss, but you just let it fly."

Kerr said his diminished minutes in San Antonio didn’t lead to sleepless nights. "I have people ahead of me who are better players than I am," he admitted. "That’s just the truth. I think Pop has done a great job all year long. We won 60 games. My role is what it is. If they need me, I’ll be ready and if not, I’m fine with that."

Kerr said before the Finals, he was 99.9 percent sure this would be his last season. But like Jordan in 1998, he didn’t really close the door.

There is talk that the Spurs may rehire Kerr as a playing assistant coach at a salary of $1 Million. Or some other team may try to bait Kerr, the NBA’s all-time triple field goal percentage leader, out of San Antonio.

It isn’t likely that Kerr will be out of a job next season.