Jerebko finds his niche on team filled with All-Stars
Coach Kerr’s bruising recruit wows team with clutch shots, hard screens
OAKLAND >> The conversation started with Steve Kerr and Jonas Jerebko praising each other.
Ever since viewing one of Jerebko’s pre-draft workouts in 2009 as the Phoenix Suns general manager, Kerr became impressed with Jerebko’s toughness and outside shooting. Meanwhile, Jerebko has admired Kerr from afar on how he has managed the Warriors’ star talent.
So when Kerr called Jerebko to express interest after Utah waived him last summer, both of them shared those observations. Then Kerr outlined why he considered Jerebko the perfect fit with the Warriors’ star-studded cast.
“He told me, ‘We want to you come here. We need your abilities,’” Jerebko recalled Kerr saying. “‘I’ve seen you play earlier in the league and we want you.’”
Afterwards, Jerebko told his agent not to field calls from any other teams. Beyond the Warriors’ championship culture, Kerr’s salespitch convinced Jerebko to sign with the Warriors on a one-year, $2.1 million deal. And here’s the kicker: Kerr did not talk to Jerebko as if he was a used car salesman.
“I told him I thought he would play quite a bit, but there could be games he would not even get in,” Kerr recalled. “I’m always honest with players that we are recruiting. I don’t want to mislead anybody.”
And since then, it appears the Warriors and Jerebko have had the best imaginable partnership. The Warriors (20-10) enter today’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies (16-12) at Oracle Arena with Jerebko averaging 7.3 points while shooting 47.5 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range. He also has grabbed 5.4 rebounds.
The reason for such consistency? There are many. Jerebko pinpoints it mainly back to Kerr’s system and his All-Star teammates making him feel empowered. That marks a stark contrast to what he said he experienced during his lone season with Utah.
“Coach wants me to take the ball and just play my game,” Jerebko said. “That’s something I’ve been missing with just setting screens and getting to the corner and shooting threes. Here, it’s more about being involved in the plays. It feels good.”
Sure, that job description might seem easy when playing with four All-Stars in Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson. If only it were as as simple as it sounds. Jerebko has played as a reserve in 25 games, and started in five others. He plays mostly at the power forward spot, and occasionally plays at center. Kerr features Jerebko both with a combination of the Warriors’ All-Stars as well as younger players still adjusting to bigger roles.
“When he talks about playing basketball, he’s just referring to our style of play,” Kerr said. “Everybody is touching the ball. There’s a lot of flow and a lot of improvisation. He happens to have a great feel with our post splits and back cuts. Just reading his teammates and making the right play and right pass. He has a great feel for all of that stuff.”
As a result, Jerebko has cracked double figures in 10 games, including four of the past six. He has grabbed at least 10 rebounds
in three games. He made a game-winning putback in the Warriors’ second-regular season game against Utah. As Durant summed up about Jerebko, “he shows that toughness every night.”
“He is really tough,” Kerr echoed. “He’s fearless out there. He takes big shots. He’s not afraid to get in the scrum for a loose ball. He sets hard screens. He’s been amazing. We’re very lucky to have him.”
The Warriors are not just lucky to have Jerebko as a bruising defender and screen setter. He has also become an increasingly reliable outside shooter. Jerebko has shot 40 percent from the perimeter through seven games in December, including going 4 of 9 against Milwaukee. Then, the Bucks understandably keyed in on Curry, Thompson and Durant.
Things did not become immediately seamless for the 31-year-old Jerebko. Through five exhibition games, Jerebko averaged 3.8 points on 31.8 percent shooting and 3.4 rebounds in 14.8 minutes. He then went scoreless in the Warriors’ season-opening win over the Thunder. Then, Kerr admitted feeling worried. Ever since his gamewinning putback against Utah, though, Jerebko has become increasingly comfortable.
“I’ve been in this league for a while. So I don’t feel pressure any more, to be honest,” Jerebko said. “It’s just fun to be around great players and be able to play the way you want to play with the freedom we play with and system that we play with. The coaching staff and organization and everything is top notch. It’s been awesome.”
• The Warriors will still be without DeMarcus Cousins for today’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies. But the Warriors have continued to feel encouraged with Cousins’ progress. After practicing with the Warriors on Sunday without any restrictions, Cousins will complete five-on-five drills with their G-League team today.
“The guys is comfortable in his movement, is in great shape and confident in that movement and that conditioning and that wind,” Kerr said. “You see it. With a normal situation where a guy is not injured, it’s the feeling you get from the beginning of training camp to the end of training camp.
“The beginning of camp, you’re never comfortable with the way guys are moving with their wind and all that,” Kerr continued. “Usually by the end of camp, or the way it’s set up now, a couple of weeks into the regular season, you’re like, ‘All right, we’re ready to roll now.’ Similar vibe.”
Cousins completed two full practices with Santa Cruz last week. Before that, Cousins practiced with the Warriors during their five-game trip. Since then, Kerr has reported Cousins showing improvement in his conditioning.
• The Warriors listed Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston as probable for tonight’s game after the two veteran reserves missed recent games because of minor ailments. Iguodala sat the past three games because of left hip tightness. Livingston missed Friday’s game against Sacramento because of a pelvic contusion. Both Iguodala and Livingston practiced on Sunday without any restrictions.