Former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson was one of the color commentators for ESPN's broadcast of Golden State's home game against the Cleveland Cavs on Friday, and received a standing ovation for his three years of work with the team prior to this season.
Courtesy of the San Jose Mercury News, here are some highlights of Jackson talking Warriors basketball during the team's 18-point win:
ON THE STEVE KERR-LED WARRIORS
"Steve Kerr has done an outstanding job. They're sitting, the best team in basketball today. He deserves a lot of credit. I think while giving him credit, there's no need to take credit away from the past. You cannot disrespect the caterpillar and rave about the butterfly."
ON STEPHEN CURRY
"He's a better person than he is a basketball player. Playing at an all-time high."
ON DRAYMOND GREEN
"What he does to make a team better, you cannot put on paper. Incredible competitor, great spirit, does everything to put you in a position to win ballgames. Guy's gonna make a lot of money. ... He's a max player."
"The guy is tough, he's physical, he's smart and he's a warrior. But he won't be if they're not willing to pay him top dollar after this year."
ON ANDREW BOGUT
"To me, a rim protector is overrated in this league. You look at the Warriors. No Andrew Bogut, their defense stays or even improves because of the identity, because of what they force you to do."
ON HIS COACHING TENURE WITH GOLDEN STATE
"Incredible blessing. I'm humbled by the support of the fans and the reaction. Three years ago, this was a team that had a history of losing. To think right now to be a legitimate team to win it all, I'm extremely proud of these players. It wasn't just about me. It was about ownership, it was about management, it was about these players, it was about my coaching staff. I'm extremely proud. It's great memories, absolutely great memories."
ON THE FANS' RECEPTION
"To the fans to acknowledge it, I appreciate that. It's easy to forget when you're on top and winning like this, so a class act. It's something I'll always remember."
ON KLAY THOMPSON
"You've got to give Klay Thompson a lot of credit for the player he is today. In my opinion, the best two-way shooting guard in the world. He came into this league not being able to defend. When he first put on a Warriors uniform, he was a horrible defender and he'd be the first to tell you that. But here's a guy that stayed late, showed up early, put his time in and has taken tremendous pride to the point that he was the defensive stopper for USA Basketball."
ON THE SPLASH BROTHERS
"Whoever said they were the greatest shooting backcourt in the history of the game, I couldn't agree with him more." (Jackson was the one who said it.)
ON WARRIORS' DEPTH AND ISSUES IT COULD CREATE
"They are too deep to dole it out. There's going to be some hurt feelings. I think the important thing as a coach, if you're Steve Kerr, is to have communication with your guys."
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