When Steve Kerr first met Brad Stevens, he already had a good feeling about the Celtics’ coach.
“You could just tell he got it,” Kerr told Boston.com.
The pair’s initial meeting was actually before either were coaches in the NBA. Kerr, who worked as a broadcaster prior to becoming head coach of the Golden State Warriors, had lunch with Stevens in Indianapolis during the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Stevens was head coach of the Butler Bulldogs at the time.
“I liked him immediately because of his demeanor,” Kerr recalled. “Not only could you tell he was very intelligent, but he also had a high EQ [emotional intelligence].