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Steve Kerr admits he benched a Warriors star out of respect for Stephen Curry and veterans

Originally posted on HITC | By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Dec 17, 2025 8:30 AM ET

Steve Kerr is a big fan of one young Golden State Warriors star, but he needs to maintain a hierarchy.

The Golden State Warriors haven’t exactly gotten off to a flying start this season, going 13-14 in their first 27 games.

The Warriors are finding out that an aging roster built around Stephen Curry isn’t enough to help them compete for an NBA championship. Despite this, one star has seen his opportunities shrink recently.

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Steve Kerr reveals he isn’t playing Will Richard because he is a rookie

Steve Kerr spoke to 95.7 The Game about his decision not to play rookie Will Richard much over recent weeks, and the head coach gave a surprising response.

Rather than tactics, Kerr admitted that Richard is on the bench because he wants to respect the veteran players and give them more minutes, something he said will help the rookie earn his stripes.

“You just can’t play more than 10-11. We’re getting healthy… It’s been tough not playing him because I’m a huge fan and a believer. He offers us stability, decision-making, and good shooting.

“He’s just gotta stay with it. Right now, frankly, he’s sitting because he’s a rookie. I’m honoring what the older guys have done over the years. I think that’s good for chemistry. This is kinda how it goes.

“Guys have to earn their stripes. You give everybody a fair look. Then you continue on through the season. He could very easily find himself back in the rotation. He’s obviously a good enough player.

“But there are times when you can only play 10-11. 3-4 guys are out of the loop right now… We could have this conversation every week, it would just be 3-4 guys that we’re talking about.”

Steve Kerr is making a huge mistake with this approach to the Golden State Warriors squad

These comments from Steve Kerr are quite alarming, given the Golden State Warriors’ unfortunate start to the NBA season.

A lot has been made about the age of the Warriors’ roster and how they struggle to compete at a high level with intensity.

So, for Kerr to have a young player like Will Richard who can give them a burst of energy sitting on the bench just because of his age is a bad idea.

Of course, Kerr has every right to bench Richard if he doesn’t fit them well tactically. But for him to be riding the bench only because of his age isn’t entirely fair.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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