How Steve Kerr went from a role player on Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls to building a dynasty of his own as head coach of the Golden State Warriors

Meredith CashMay 10, 2020, 22:09 IST

From childhood in the Middle East and his father's assassination to eight total NBA championships, Steve Kerr's journey was far from routine.Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images and Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

ESPN's "The Last Dance" — the 10-part documentary series about Michael Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls — has given modern NBA fans a unique look at Steve Kerr.
The current head coach of the dominant Golden State Warriors was once a sharpshooter who played alongside Jordan on the Bulls.
From childhood in the Middle East, his father's assassination, and college at Arizona to five NBA championships as a player, and another three as an NBA coach, Kerr's journey was far from routine.
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Even though "The Last Dance" — the 10-part series about the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls' championship run — focuses primarily on Michael Jordan, the documentary has also given modern NBA fans a unique look at Steve Kerr.

Before he was the mastermind behind the Golden State Warriors' recent dominance over the NBA, Kerr was a sharpshooting role player for the Chicago dynasty centered around His Airness.

The docuseries shows clips of Kerr taking game-winning shots, running laps alongside Jordan, and even taking a punch to the face from the GOAT. But there's far more to the former point guard's story than his time competing in the NBA.

From a childhood spent in the Middle East and an unorthodox college recruitment process to his father's assassination in the midst of his collegiate career at Arizona and a Final Four run, Kerr's journey to the pros was far from routine.

Check out how Kerr grew from a role player to one of the foremost minds in the NBA below:

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Now check out some Bulls and Michael Jordan stories that have come to the surface from "The Last Dance":

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Four years later, he replaced Mark Jackson as head coach of the Warriors, and the rest is history.

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Then he served as general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 to 2010.

REUTERS/Rick Scuteri

He stepped away from the hardwood and into the booth after that fifth championship run, broadcasting for TNT from 2003 to 2007.

AP Photo/Kathy Willens

He won two more NBA championships there: in 1999 and in 2003.

AP Photo/Donna McWilliam

Once his time in Chicago ran its course, Kerr moved on to play with David Robinson and Tim Duncan for Gregg Popovich's San Antonio Spurs.

Reuters Photographer

And even though he was a role player in Chicago, he hit the last shot that secured the Bulls' fifth championship.

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Then he signed with the Bulls in 1993, where he'd go on to win three championships alongside some of the best to ever play the game.

Anne Ryan-USA TODAY

He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989, where he played for nearly four seasons before moving on to temporarily join the Orlando Magic.

Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images

He led the Wildcats to the Final Four that season before getting selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the NBA Draft.

But during his final season at Arizona, Kerr found himself harassed by fans at rival Arizona State when they began chanting "PLO" — for Palestine Liberation Organization — and "Where's your dad?" during warm-ups. He responded to the tune of 22 points.

Arizona/Collegiate Images via Getty Images

But during his final season at Arizona, Kerr found himself harassed by fans at rival Arizona State when they began chanting "PLO" — for Palestine Liberation Organization — and "Where's your dad?" during warm-ups. He responded to the tune of 22 points.

Kerr went on to become a star for the Wildcats, using the court as his safe haven.

But early in his freshman season, his father, American University of Beirut President Malcolm H. Kerr, was assassinated by members of the Islamic Jihad militia on his way into his office.

Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

But early in his freshman season, his father, American University of Beirut President Malcolm H. Kerr, was assassinated by members of the Islamic Jihad militia on his way into his office.

Still, he wound up at the University of Arizona the following year.

Arizona/Collegiate Images via Getty Images

Kerr wasn't a highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school and didn't even have offers midway through his senior season.

John Storey/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images

He studied at American schools in Cairo, Egypt, and Beirut before finishing high school at Palisades High School in Los Angeles.

John Storey/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images

Kerr was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and spent his childhood living in various countries in the Middle East, where his dad was a professor studying the region.

John Storey/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images/Getty Images

Even though Kerr's legacy is largely defined by his involvement in two of basketball's greatest dynasties, there's much more to his story.

Beth A. Keiser/AP Images

One of which included a physical altercation with His Airness himself.

So, unsurprisingly, he made a number of appearances throughout "The Last Dance."

Reuters Photographer

He was part of the Bulls' second three-peat of the '90s.

Anne Ryan-USA TODAY

And, notably, he was consistently amongst the league's leaders in three-point percentage.

Brian Bahr /Allsport/Getty Images

He averaged 8.2 points and 2.2 assists in his five seasons in Chicago.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

From 1993 to 1998, Kerr came off the bench for the Bulls.

Getty Images

Back in the 1990s, Kerr was a sharpshooting point guard who played alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and the rest of the historic Chicago Bulls team that commanded the NBA for the better part of a decade.

Reuters Photographer

Back in the 1990s, Kerr was a sharpshooting point guard who played alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and the rest of the historic Chicago Bulls team that commanded the NBA for the better part of a decade.

But before he was ushering in a modern-day NBA dynasty in the Bay Area, Kerr was a player on one of the most dominant — and famous — teams in league history.

Ezra Shaw/Getty

But before he was ushering in a modern-day NBA dynasty in the Bay Area, Kerr was a player on one of the most dominant — and famous — teams in league history.

And he's also twice been honored as the head coach during the NBA All-Star game.

AP Photo/Kathy Willens

To no one's surprise, he won coach of the year after that 73-win season.

AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez

And, during the 2015-16 campaign, his team set an NBA record for most wins in a single season.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

He's added three championship rings to his collection in that span

Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

In his five full years as head coach, Kerr has yet to miss an NBA Finals.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Kerr has become one of the foremost play callers in the NBA, coaching the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

These days, Steve Kerr is best known as the mastermind at the helm of the Golden State Warriors.

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Photos of Niko Price's eye injury so gruesome you could mistake it for special effects makeup from a movie, and you may wish you'd never seen

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How Steve Kerr went from a role player on Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls to building a dynasty of his own as head coach of the Golden State Warriors

Now check out some Bulls and Michael Jordan stories that have come to the surface from "The Last Dance":

Four years later, he replaced Mark Jackson as head coach of the Warriors, and the rest is history.

Then he served as general manager of the Phoenix Suns from 2007 to 2010.

He stepped away from the hardwood and into the booth after that fifth championship run, broadcasting for TNT from 2003 to 2007.

He won two more NBA championships there: in 1999 and in 2003.

Once his time in Chicago ran its course, Kerr moved on to play with David Robinson and Tim Duncan for Gregg Popovich's San Antonio Spurs.

And even though he was a role player in Chicago, he hit the last shot that secured the Bulls' fifth championship.

Then he signed with the Bulls in 1993, where he'd go on to win three championships alongside some of the best to ever play the game.

He was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1989, where he played for nearly four seasons before moving on to temporarily join the Orlando Magic.

He led the Wildcats to the Final Four that season before getting selected by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the NBA Draft.

But during his final season at Arizona, Kerr found himself harassed by fans at rival Arizona State when they began chanting "PLO" — for Palestine Liberation Organization — and "Where's your dad?" during warm-ups. He responded to the tune of 22 points.

Kerr went on to become a star for the Wildcats, using the court as his safe haven.

But early in his freshman season, his father, American University of Beirut President Malcolm H. Kerr, was assassinated by members of the Islamic Jihad militia on his way into his office.

Still, he wound up at the University of Arizona the following year.

Kerr wasn't a highly-regarded recruit coming out of high school and didn't even have offers midway through his senior season.

He studied at American schools in Cairo, Egypt, and Beirut before finishing high school at Palisades High School in Los Angeles.

Kerr was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and spent his childhood living in various countries in the Middle East, where his dad was a professor studying the region.

Even though Kerr's legacy is largely defined by his involvement in two of basketball's greatest dynasties, there's much more to his story.

One of which included a physical altercation with His Airness himself.

So, unsurprisingly, he made a number of appearances throughout "The Last Dance."

He was part of the Bulls' second three-peat of the '90s.

And, notably, he was consistently amongst the league's leaders in three-point percentage.

He averaged 8.2 points and 2.2 assists in his five seasons in Chicago.

From 1993 to 1998, Kerr came off the bench for the Bulls.

Back in the 1990s, Kerr was a sharpshooting point guard who played alongside Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and the rest of the historic Chicago Bulls team that commanded the NBA for the better part of a decade.

But before he was ushering in a modern-day NBA dynasty in the Bay Area, Kerr was a player on one of the most dominant — and famous — teams in league history.

And he's also twice been honored as the head coach during the NBA All-Star game.

To no one's surprise, he won coach of the year after that 73-win season.

And, during the 2015-16 campaign, his team set an NBA record for most wins in a single season.

He's added three championship rings to his collection in that span

In his five full years as head coach, Kerr has yet to miss an NBA Finals.

Kerr has become one of the foremost play callers in the NBA, coaching the likes of Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.

These days, Steve Kerr is best known as the mastermind at the helm of the Golden State Warriors.