Basketball: Former Viking Bruce Fraser helps lead Warriors to NBA Championship

Former Viking Bruce Fraser (second from right) and the Warriors' coaching staff celebrate following their NBA Championship victory.
Former Viking Bruce Fraser (second from right) and the Warriors' coaching staff celebrate following their NBA Championship victory.

Long Beach City College basketball had its own ties to the recently crowned NBA-champion Golden State Warriors. Former Viking player Bruce Fraser, son of former legendary LBCC head coach Bill Fraser, served as an assistant coach of player development for Steve Kerr's Warriors coaching staff.

Fraser played one season in Long Beach (1983-84) before transferring to the University of Arizona to play for another former Viking head coach, Lute Olson. It was at Arizona where Fraser and Kerr first became teammates and friends.

Fraser began his coaching career at Arizona before an assistant job at the University of Missouri. He also worked in the NBA as scout with the Phoenix Suns before becoming the personal coach of future Hall of Famer Steve Nash. He was also a member of Larry Brown's coaching staff with the Indiana Pacers.

Fraser immediately joined Kerr's staff with the Warriors when he was hired as head coach before the start of this past season. Fraser spent many hours after the Warriors regular practice working out with  this season's NBA most valuable player Stephen Curry.