Report: Warriors assistant Kerr Demarco led Hield recruitment originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
O Warriors successfully courted Buddy Hield despite interest from the Los Angeles Lakers, but who exactly led Golden State’s triumphant quest from the sniper guard?
Warriors coach Steve Kerr and assistant Chris Demarco successfully convinced Hield to join the Warriors, the Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported on Wednesday.
Demarco, who coaches the Bahamas national team that Hield stars in, was persuading the eight-year veteran to join Golden State while the two were in Spain for the Olympic qualifiers.
While Demarco worked hard to convince Hield to choose the Warriors, Slater’s report reveals a phone call with Kerr on Wednesday night, with some time to sleep, was what ultimately pushed the decision over the goal line in Thursday.
Following agreements with veteran forward Kyle Anderson and guard De’Anthony Melton, the Warriors’ addition of Hield reflects a strong recovery from the gut punch of pillar of the franchise, departure of Klay Thompson.
Demarco has been with the Warriors organization since 2012, working his way up from video coordinator to the assistant coach role he holds now.
While he was influential in helping shape a dynasty with his behind-the-scenes contributions, Demarco’s efforts to land Hield won’t go unnoticed, especially if the sharpshooter plays a role in helping Golden State return to NBA prominence.
