Steve Kerr

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Lore & Background

Kerr played college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. He was a first-team all-conference player in the Pac-10 (now known as the Pac-12) as a senior in 1988 and earned All-American honors that same year. In the 1987–88 season, Kerr set the NCAA single-season three-point field goal percentage record at the time (57.3%). Selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 1988 NBA draft, Kerr played 15 seasons in the NBA. He won five NBA championships as a player—three with the Chicago Bulls and two with the San Antonio Spurs—and retired as the all-time NBA leader in single-season three-point shooting percentage and career three-point shooting percentage. Following his retirement as a player, Kerr became a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns as part of a group led by Robert Sarver that purchased the team in 2004. In June 2007, Phoenix named Kerr the team's president of basketball operations and general manager. Kerr announced he was leaving the position in June 2010. After stepping down from his post with the Suns, Kerr worked as a color commentator for NBA on TNT until 2014. In May 2014, Kerr was named head coach of the Warriors. Under his leadership, the franchise entered the most successful period in its history, reaching the NBA Finals six times and winning four championships (in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022). The 2015–16 Warriors won an unprecedented 73 games, breaking the record for the most wins in an NBA season.

In Their Own Story

In May 2014, Kerr took the helm of the Warriors, ushering in an era defined by six NBA Finals appearances and four titles. The 2015–16 team shattered records with 73 wins, though they ultimately fell short in the Finals that year. Kerr's leadership extended beyond tactics; he managed a roster through personal challenges and returned to coach from a wheelchair after back surgery during the 2018 playoffs. His tenure saw the Warriors dominate the league, culminating in the 2022 championship. Before coaching, Kerr served as the Phoenix Suns' president of basketball operations (2007–2010) and worked as a TNT commentator, where his segment "Steve's Refreshing Thoughts" became a fan favorite.

Reader's Guide

Kerr was born on September 27, 1965, in Beirut, Lebanon. He graduated from Palisades High School in Los Angeles in 1983. He played college basketball at the University of Arizona from 1983 to 1988. During the summer of 1986, Kerr was named to the U.S. national team that competed in the FIBA World Championship in Spain; he suffered a torn ACL during the competition, forcing him to miss the Wildcats' entire 1986–87 season. Kerr graduated from the University of Arizona in 1988 with a Bachelor of General Studies. He was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round (50th overall) of the 1988 NBA draft. He played for the Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, and Portland Trail Blazers. He retired after the 2003 NBA Finals.

Did You Know?

• Kerr once held the NBA record for highest career three-point percentage, but the current record is held by Seth Curry.
• He won five NBA championships as a player and four as a head coach.
• Kerr set the NCAA single-season three-point field goal percentage record at the time (57.3%) in 1987–88, though it has since been surpassed.
• He was a first-team all-conference player in the Pac-10 once, as a senior in 1988.