Steve Kerr calls Tommy Lloyd 'a great guy, great coach' — and loves what he's seen from the Cats

SAN FRANCISCO — After the Arizona Wildcats took in the Warriors-Rockets game last Friday, Golden State coach Steve Kerr invited UA coach Tommy Lloyd and his staff to his office.

It wasn’t just about talking hoops. Or even their shared Wildcat bond, with Lloyd now running a program that retired Kerr’s jersey for his standout playing days under legendary coach Lute Olson.

It was also just about friendship.

‘We had a few beers and hung out,” Kerr said. “Tommy’s become a really good friend. What a great guy, great coach. And fun to watch.”

In an interview with the Star after the Warriors defeated the Utah Jazz on Sunday at the Chase Center, Kerr elaborated on Lloyd and this season’s Wildcats.

Did you know Lloyd before?

A: “Never met him until this summer, when we went to Coach Olson’s service (last September). I had a chance to visit with him and I was really impressed. And then I obviously watch the games anytime I can. I’m loving the energy, the creativity on the floor. And there’s a lot of interesting things they’re doing defensively.”

What do you see there?

A: “I know (Gonzaga coach) Mark Few pretty well. I think Mark’s got a great basketball mind, and obviously Tommy clearly has picked up on a lot of things. They have some interesting schemes and coverages, and they play really hard. And when you get stops, you get out and run and all of a sudden the offense gets a lot easier.”

Offensively, when you look at them, are they similar to what you guys do or what Lute’s teams did back in the day?

A: “You know, (Lloyd) came out here during training camp and spent a night, and went to a game and a practice. We sat in my office with ‘Q’ (Warriors assistant coach Bruce Fraser, who played with Kerr at UA). We talked about a lot of stuff and compared notes. I think we share a very similar view of the game. Not just schematically, but in terms of how to play with passion and joy, and playing together. That stuff really matters to both of us.

“You can see when you watch them play, there’s a lot of smiles and a lot of energy, and I think that’s something that we really shoot for as well. We try to generate a really good vibe with the group and it matters. It manifests itself on the court. for sure.”

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So did you talk about that kind of thing more than about X’s and O’s, or half and half?

A: “Both, yeah. And he asked me about some of the stuff we were working on in camp. The NBA and college are pretty different, but basketball is still about five guys being connected and moving the ball. So there were a lot of things that we really shared.”

Have you seen a difference between what he’s doing and what Mark’s done at Gonzaga? Pretty similar?

A: “I think it’s very similar. I haven’t examined it closely enough or anything, but it’s only natural when you’re with a guy for 20 years that you’re going to pick up a lot.”

You say you’ve watched a lot of (Arizona) games. Are you surprised at how they’ve been doing?

A: “I have no idea. I really don’t follow college basketball much. I watch Arizona any chance I get, but I don’t watch any other games because I’m busy watching NBA games. When the season started, I think I looked at the rankings to see if they were picked. (They received votes in the preseason AP Top 25 but were not ranked).”

Curious about one other thing: The point guard (Kerr Kriisa). Is he living up to his name?

A: “(Laughs). He’s got way more swag than I ever had. Man, I love watching him play. The guy plays with a lot of confidence. Good young player. He runs the team and he’s fun to watch.”

Seems like he’s embraced not only being out there as a personality but also being named after you, wearing the Kerr name on his back.

A: “It’s pretty cool.”

So you had them all over here (on Friday). Was it a surprise that all worked out?

A: “I’m just glad it worked out. Tommy called me and we put our groups together and they arranged the tickets. They came into this (interview) room and Andre (Iguodala) talked to them.

“I think all of us are just really proud. As an alum, you take great pride in the school and when your team is doing well, there’s something really special about that. I’m just excited that Tommy’s doing such a great job.”