Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Steve Kerr

Discover the career path of Steve Kerr, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Steve Kerr is a highly successful American basketball coach and former player. Currently the head coach of the Golden State Warriors and the U.S. national team, he's celebrated as one of the NBA's most accurate three-point shooters, holding the record for highest career three-point percentage. Kerr boasts nine NBA championships, five as a player and four as a coach with the Warriors. His coaching achievements led to his recognition as one of the 15 Greatest Coaches in NBA History.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

1947: Rookie head coaches in NBA Finals

In 1947, Eddie Gottlieb of the Philadelphia Warriors and Harold Olsen of the Chicago Stags competed as the first pair of rookie head coaches faced each other in the NBA Finals.

1969: NBA Player to Win Four Straight Titles

As of 2024, Steve Kerr is the only NBA player to win four straight NBA titles after 1969.

1983: Basketball at the University of Arizona

In 1983, Steve Kerr started playing basketball at the University of Arizona.

1986: FIBA World Championship

In the summer of 1986, Steve Kerr was named to the U.S. national team that competed in the FIBA World Championship in Spain where the team won the title.

1988: All-American Honors and NBA Draft Selection

In 1988, Steve Kerr earned All-American honors as a senior playing college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. He was also selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 1988 NBA draft, marking the beginning of his professional career.

1988: Basketball at the University of Arizona

In 1988, Steve Kerr was playing basketball at the University of Arizona.

1988: Selected by the Phoenix Suns

In 1988, Steve Kerr was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the NBA draft as the 50th overall pick.

1989: Traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers

In 1989, Steve Kerr was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for draft consideration.

December 1992: Traded to the Orlando Magic

In December 1992, Steve Kerr was traded to the Orlando Magic for draft considerations.

1993: Signed with the Chicago Bulls

In 1993, Steve Kerr signed with the Chicago Bulls, playing as a three-point shooting specialist.

1994: Chicago Bulls make the playoffs in the 1993-94 season

In the 1993-94 season, the Chicago Bulls made the playoffs without Michael Jordan.

1995: 72-10 Record of the Chicago Bulls

During the 1995–96 season, the Chicago Bulls team that Steve Kerr played for set an NBA record of 72–10.

1995: Chicago Bulls make the playoffs in the 1994-95 season

In the 1994-95 season, the Chicago Bulls made the playoffs without Michael Jordan for much of the season.

1996: NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls

In 1996, with Michael Jordan back full-time, Steve Kerr and the Chicago Bulls won the NBA Championship against the Seattle SuperSonics.

1997: NBA Championship and Three-Point Contest Win

In 1997, Steve Kerr won the NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls by making a crucial shot, and he also won the Three-Point Contest at the NBA All-Star Weekend.

January 1999: Acquired by the San Antonio Spurs

In January 1999, Steve Kerr was acquired by the San Antonio Spurs in a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls.

2000: Chuck Person and 2000 NBA draft sent to Chicago

In January 1999, Chuck Person and a first-round pick in the 2000 NBA draft was sent to Chicago as part of the trade with the Spurs.

July 24, 2001: Traded to the Portland Trail Blazers

On July 24, 2001, Steve Kerr was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers along with Derek Anderson in exchange for Steve Smith.

August 2, 2002: Return to San Antonio Spurs

On August 2, 2002, Steve Kerr was traded back to the San Antonio Spurs along with Erick Barkley and a 2003 second-round pick.

2003: Retirement from the NBA

In 2003, Steve Kerr announced his retirement from the NBA after winning five NBA championships.

2003: Broadcast Analyst for TNT

In 2003, Steve Kerr became a broadcast analyst for Turner Network Television (TNT), offering commentary alongside Marv Albert.

2003: NBA Championship with San Antonio Spurs

In 2003, Steve Kerr won his final NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs, contributing key three-pointers in the Western Conference Finals.

April 15, 2004: Potential Buyer of Phoenix Suns

On April 15, 2004, Steve Kerr was announced as a member of a potential group of buyers that would acquire the Phoenix Suns.

2004: Minority Owner of the Phoenix Suns

In 2004, Steve Kerr became a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns as part of a group led by Robert Sarver that purchased the team.

2006: Shooting Stars Competition

During the 2006 NBA All-Star Weekend, Steve Kerr was a member of the San Antonio team that won the Shooting Stars Competition.

June 2, 2007: Becomes Suns General Manager

On June 2, 2007, Steve Kerr announced he would become the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, starting with the 2007-08 season.

June 2007: President of Basketball Operations and General Manager for Phoenix Suns

In June 2007, Steve Kerr was named the president of basketball operations and general manager for the Phoenix Suns, marking a transition from playing to team management.

2007: Leaves Broadcasting for Phoenix Suns

In 2007, Steve Kerr left broadcasting to become general manager for the Phoenix Suns.

December 10, 2008: Remakes Suns roster

On December 10, 2008, Steve Kerr, as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns, traded Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Sean Singletary to the Charlotte Bobcats for Jason Richardson, Jared Dudley, and a 2010 second-round draft pick.

June 25, 2009: Trades Shaquille O'Neal

On June 25, 2009, Steve Kerr, serving as general manager for the Phoenix Suns, traded Shaquille O'Neal to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Ben Wallace, Sasha Pavlovic, a future second-round draft pick, and cash.

June 2010: Departure from the Phoenix Suns

In June 2010, Steve Kerr announced that he was leaving his position as president of basketball operations and general manager for the Phoenix Suns.

June 28, 2010: Returns to TNT as NBA Analyst

On June 28, 2010, it was confirmed that Steve Kerr would return as an NBA analyst for TNT starting with the 2010–11 NBA season.

2010: Leaves Suns organization

In 2010, Steve Kerr left the Phoenix Suns as president of basketball operations and general manager.

2011: NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship

In 2011, Steve Kerr called the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship on Turner Sports and CBS.

May 14, 2014: Agreement to become head coach for Golden State Warriors

On May 14, 2014, Steve Kerr reached an agreement to become the head coach for the Golden State Warriors, succeeding Mark Jackson in a five-year, $25 million deal.

May 2014: Head Coach of Golden State Warriors

In May 2014, Steve Kerr was named the head coach of the Golden State Warriors, leading to a highly successful period in the team's history.

December 10, 2014: First NBA rookie head coach to win 21 of first 23 games

On December 10, 2014, Steve Kerr became the first NBA rookie head coach to win 21 of his first 23 games, setting a new milestone in his coaching career.

2014: NBA 2K15

In 2014, Kerr continued providing voice commentary in NBA 2K15 despite becoming the Golden State Warriors coach.

2014: Decides to coach the Golden State Warriors

In 2014, Steve Kerr decided to coach the Golden State Warriors, marking a transition in his career.

2014: Joins NBA on TNT as Color Commentator

In 2014, after stepping down from his post with the Suns, Steve Kerr worked as a color commentator for NBA on TNT.

Loading Video...

2015: Contribution to Grantland

From 2011 until it closed in 2015, Steve Kerr was a regular contributor to the website Grantland.

2015: Warriors win NBA Championship

In 2015, Steve Kerr led the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Championship, defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. This marked Kerr's first championship as a head coach and sixth overall.

2015: Named Head Coach of Western Conference All-Star Team

In 2015, Steve Kerr was named the head coach of the Western Conference team for the NBA All-Star Game after the Warriors had the best record in the conference.

2015: Golden State Warriors Win NBA Championship in 2015

In 2015, under Steve Kerr's leadership, the Golden State Warriors won an NBA Championship.

January 22, 2016: Kerr Returns to Coaching After Absence

On January 22, 2016, Steve Kerr returned to coaching the Golden State Warriors after missing 43 games due to back issues.

July 4, 2016: Warriors sign Kevin Durant

On July 4, 2016, the Golden State Warriors made a landmark acquisition by signing free agent Kevin Durant.

2017: Warriors Win NBA Championship, Kerr Returns in Finals

In 2017, Steve Kerr missed time during the playoffs due to recurring back issues, with Mike Brown acting as head coach. Kerr returned in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and the Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in five games.

2017: Golden State Warriors Win NBA Championship in 2017

In 2017, under Steve Kerr's leadership, the Golden State Warriors won another NBA Championship.

2018: Warriors sweep Cavaliers

In 2018, Steve Kerr won his third championship as a head coach when the Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games, marking his eighth championship overall.

2018: Golden State Warriors Win NBA Championship in 2018

In 2018, under Steve Kerr's leadership, the Golden State Warriors won another NBA Championship.

2019: Warriors Finish with Worst Record

During the 2019-2020 season, the Warriors finished with the worst record in the league, marking the first time in Steve Kerr's coaching career that he had missed the playoffs.

2019: Patrick McCaw achieves similar feat to Kerr

In 2019, Patrick McCaw, who was coached by Kerr with the Warriors, became the third player in NBA history to win three championships with two different teams in consecutive seasons, matching a feat previously achieved by Kerr.

2019: Warriors Lose to Raptors

In 2019, the Warriors reached their fifth straight NBA Finals under Steve Kerr, but were defeated by the Toronto Raptors in six games. Kevin Durant tore his Achilles, and Klay Thompson tore his ACL during the series.

2020: Assistant Coach on Gold Medal-Winning Olympic Team

In 2020, Steve Kerr was an assistant coach on the gold medal-winning United States men's Olympic basketball team.

2020: Warriors Miss Playoffs Again

In the 2020-2021 season, the Warriors qualified for the play-in tournament but ultimately did not qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season.

December 2021: Named Head Coach of U.S. Men's Basketball Team

In December 2021, Steve Kerr was named head coach of the U.S. men's basketball team.

2021: Warriors qualify for play-in tournament

In 2021, the Warriors qualified for the newly implemented play-in tournament, but ultimately did not qualify for the playoffs for the second straight season.

2022: Warriors win NBA Championship

In 2022, Steve Kerr led the Warriors to defeat the Boston Celtics in six games to win his fourth championship as a head coach and ninth overall.

2022: Golden State Warriors Win NBA Championship in 2022

In 2022, under Steve Kerr's leadership, the Golden State Warriors won another NBA Championship.

2022: Warriors Defeated in Western Conference Semifinals

In the 2022–23 season, Steve Kerr and the Warriors reached the Western Conference Semifinals, where they were defeated in six games by the Los Angeles Lakers.

2023: Kerr leads US Team to fourth place finish at FIBA World Cup

In 2023, Steve Kerr led the United States team to a disappointing fourth-place finish at the FIBA World Cup as the U.S. failed to win a medal for the second consecutive tournament after an overtime loss to Canada in the bronze medal game, 127–118.

2023: Cartoon Version on Clone High

In 2023, Steve Kerr portrayed a cartoon version of himself on the animated series Clone High.

2024: NBA Player to Win Four Straight Titles

As of 2024, Steve Kerr is the only NBA player to win four straight NBA titles after 1969.

2024: Coaches US Team to Gold Medal at Olympics

At the 2024 Summer Olympic Men's Basketball Tournament, Steve Kerr coached the US Team to its fifth consecutive gold medal at Paris' Bercy Arena in a win over host country France.

March 2025: Overtakes Al Attles as Warriors coach with most wins

In March 2025, Steve Kerr overtook Al Attles as the Warriors coach with the most wins in franchise history, marking a significant milestone in his coaching career.