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Former UA player helps Spurs to NBA title

By Brett Fera
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wednesday June 18, 2003

Almost two decades after seeing his world flipped upside down, former UA standout guard Steve Kerr saw it all come full circle ÷ for the fifth time in eight seasons ÷ when the San Antonio Spurs downed the New Jersey Nets in game six, 93-83, to capture the NBA championship.

The championship was somewhat bittersweet for Kerr, however, as it brought to a close what he expects to be his last season of pro basketball.

"My guess is that it probably is (my last season)," Kerr said. "It's the last season of my contract and the market for 38-year-old slow white guards isn't that hot right now."

San Antonio's second title in five seasons fittingly landed on Father's Day, a day Kerr keeps close to his heart right next to January 16, the day in which his father Malcolm, president of the American University in Beirut, was assassinated outside his office in Lebanon.

Throughout his 15-year NBA career, not to mention the four he spent in Tucson, Kerr has been able to use his life experiences to not only fuel his own career, but to become a leader both on and off the court.

This time, in his second stint with San Antonio, Kerr saw limited playing time all season, despite being the NBA's all-time career leader in three-point shooting (.454).

When Kerr did get the chance to play this postseason, he made the most of his opportunities, once again having a penchant for creating drama as he nailed two championship-clinching jumpers on Sunday evening. And that was just one week after he single-handedly crushed the Dallas Mavericks by nailing four late-game 3-pointers in game six of the Western Conference finals.

"The biggest thing is that if you want to see how somebody should conduct themselves as a professional, it is him," said current University of Arizona associate head coach Jim Rosborough. "Steve has had what could be described as a perfect career. He's played with Michael Jordan, won world championships. He's just a great person and a great professional."

Kerr, one of just two Wildcat basketball players to have his jersey retired on the wall of McKale center (the jerseys of former UA guards Mike Bibby and Jason Gardner will join those of Kerr and Sean Elliott this fall), has always been a huge supporter of Arizona Athletics, not to mention the Tucson community.

This fall, the annual golf tournament Kerr hosts in Tucson will be presented as part of Arizona basketball's centennial celebration.

"We've done (the tournament) for about seven years now," Kerr said. "This past year it benefited the Bobbi Olson cancer research foundation."

With his career possibly coming to a close, Kerr isn't sure where he will be headed, but knows that he wants to stay involved in basketball in some capacity.

"I've been blessed beyond anything I could have asked for," Kerr said in retrospect about his career. "I'd like to possibly go into TV. I know that I'd love to coach if given the opportunity."


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