Steve Kerr Reveals Roger Federer’s Secret to Sustained Success That Left Warriors Stars Stunned
Steve Kerr has agreed to a two-year contract extension that will keep him at the helm of the Golden State Warriors. The new deal ensures Kerr will remain with the franchise through his 13th season and continue as the NBA’s highest-paid head coach.
Beyond Kerr’s deep understanding of basketball, one particular encounter with tennis legend Roger Federer gave the Warriors coach and his players a valuable lesson about maintaining success over a long period.
Steve Kerr Credits Roger Federer for a Powerful Lesson on What It Really Takes to Stay Great
During the 2017 NBA Global Games in China, the Warriors were staying in Shanghai while Roger Federer was in the city competing at the Shanghai Masters. Kerr took advantage of the opportunity and invited the tennis icon into the Warriors’ locker room to speak with the players about what it takes to remain successful at the highest level for years.
In a later interview, Kerr recalled how Federer offered an unexpected perspective on sustained excellence.
“I’ll tell you a great story about Roger Federer,” Kerr said. “We were playing in China with the Warriors in 2017. Roger was in Shanghai for the Masters tournament, so we invited him to come speak to the team.”
Kerr then recalled how Draymond Green asked Federer a question that many of the Warriors players were eager to hear the answer to. Green wanted to know how Federer had been able to remain successful and win major championships even decades after establishing himself as one of tennis’ greatest players.
Instead of talking about endless training sessions or pushing himself beyond everyone else, the tennis great described an ordinary family routine that brought him happiness while still allowing him to maintain his elite performance.
“And it was like, yes,” Kerr added. “That’s it. That’s the formula. That’s what leads to sustained success. He loves tennis. He loves his family. He loves life. It’s not outworking everybody and banging your head against the wall, ‘I’m going to be better than everybody.’ It’s allowing your natural talent to shine through with a work ethic, with a great family life, with perspective, with peace, with mindfulness.”
At the time of Federer’s locker-room visit, the Warriors had already captured two championships in three seasons. The message clearly resonated with the team, as Golden State went on to sweep the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2018 NBA Finals, securing its second consecutive championship.
Steve Kerr Looks Ahead to Another Warriors Season
Kerr recently discussed the Warriors’ upcoming season with NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday, stressing that he does not want his team to become overly focused on predictions or expectations.
“You get into the danger zone when you start trying to predict stuff,” Kerr said. “For me, this is all about the process and what we’re doing day in and day out. This is a season where we’ve got to get back to our values, our basics, supporting each other, bringing great attention to detail day in and day out.”
The Warriors are coming off a disappointing 2025-26 campaign in which they finished with a 37-45 record. Golden State placed fourth in the Pacific Division and 10th in the Western Conference before seeing its season come to an end in the Play-In Tournament. The Warriors failed to advance after suffering a 111-96 elimination-game loss to the Phoenix Suns.
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