Nick Saban, Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr Among Fortune's World's Greatest Leaders
Fortune recently named its list of the world's 50 greatest leaders, and it had some sports flavor thanks to the presence of two coaches and one transcendent NBA superstar.
Alabama Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban was No. 11 on the list, while Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr and player Stephen Curry were a combination pick at No. 15.
Saban is the only football coach to make the list, and the football dynasty he has built at Alabama is a testament to his greatness.
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The Crimson Tide won their fourth national title since the 2009 campaign this past season with a 45-40 victory over Clemson. It was Saban’s first title with the College Football Playoff in place, and his team destroyed Michigan State in the semifinals as well, 38-0.
ESPN Stats & Info put the Crimson Tide’s run under Saban’s leadership into historical perspective:
It was Saban’s fifth national championship on a personal level (he won one at LSU). Perhaps the most important part of Saban’s leadership is his ability to mold young potential on the recruiting trail into championship-level talent. John Garcia Jr. of Scout.com underscored how impressive Saban is at turning recruits into winners:
Saban’s on-field leadership and decision-making also had a direct impact on the championship victory over Clemson. He called a gutsy onside kick in the fourth quarter with the game tied, and the Crimson Tide recovered it and scored a go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing possession.
As for Curry and Kerr, the Warriors have completely taken over the NBA, and they overshadow almost everything else in the league. Even the dominant San Antonio Spurs (60-11) are widely seen as the second banana to Golden State’s brilliance.
All Kerr did in his first-ever season as a head coach in 2014-15 was finish 67-15 and win an NBA title. League MVP Curry led the way on the floor, and it was something of a symbolic passing of the torch from one face of the NBA to another when the Warriors knocked off LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals.
Incredibly, the encore for Kerr and Curry has been even more impressive in 2015-16. The Warriors are 64-7 and have a legitimate chance to break the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls’ all-time mark of 72 wins in a season (of which Kerr was a part of as a guard). Curry has somehow found a way to improve on an MVP season nearly across the statistical board:
| 2014-15 | 80 | 32.7 | 23.8 | 7.7 | 4.3 | 2 | 48.7 | 44.3 |
| 2015-16 | 68 | 33.9 | 30.1 | 6.5 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 50.7 | 45.3 |
What’s more, Curry and Kerr have been almost relatable while aiming for NBA history, as Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated described in the Fortune profile: "Perhaps it is their ordinariness that sets them apart. Neither would look out of place showing up to the noon run at the local Y, a couple of spindly, amiable, not-quite-tall but not-quite-short guys. Indeed, we look at Steve Kerr and Steph Curry and want to think: That could be us."
Ballard delved into Kerr’s leadership style and pointed to the coach’s ability to empower those around him to make decisions and keep a healthy balance between work and life outside the court. Ballard noted Kerr also talks to players directly if there are any concerns rather than using "an intermediary."
Ballard also pointed to Curry’s prowess for remaining "gracious and accommodating" even though he is the defending NBA MVP and instantly recognizable to fans everywhere the Warriors travel. Between that and his tendency to put in extra hours with basketball and his family, Curry is a true leader even as a player.
Both Curry and Kerr appear to be leading the Warriors straight to yet another title.
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