Coaching one of the NBA’s most successful dynasties has never insulated Steve Kerr from criticism. In fact, the Golden State Warriors head coach has spent the last few years navigating an online environment where opinions about his decisions are constant and often personal.

Eventually, Kerr decided he had seen enough.

Speaking on 95.7 The Game, the Warriors coach explained that he stepped away from social media entirely after realizing how damaging the online environment had become for both himself and his players. The decision came after watching former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman struggle with intense online criticism during his early years in Golden State.

“Then I realized after a couple of weeks how great it was that I didn’t actually miss it,” Kerr said in the interview. “And that I could just do the navigation on my own and find stuff that I wanted to read but avoid a lot of the toxic stuff and it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. So I’m really able to avoid reading what a terrible human being and coach I am, that’s healthy for me.”

The experience convinced Kerr that disconnecting from social media was the healthiest decision he could make while coaching in such a high-pressure environment.

Despite Kerr’s success in Golden State, the relationship between the coach and sections of the fanbase has grown increasingly tense in recent seasons.

Much of the criticism centers on how Kerr has handled the Warriors’ young talent while trying to remain competitive with an aging championship core. Fans often expected immediate development from players drafted during the dynasty years, something Kerr believes is unrealistic.

“Any frustration from our fans is probably coming from this idea that young players should get it right away. It just doesn’t work that way,” he explained. “I think you know part of the frustration of our fans probably stems from the fact that we have three lottery picks at a time when we were winning a championship. And it’s just hard to play 19-year-olds on championship teams.”

Balancing youth development with championship expectations has been one of the most difficult challenges of Kerr’s tenure.

Golden State attempted to maintain its title window while also developing high lottery picks such as Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman, and Moses Moody. However, integrating those players into a roster built around established veterans has proven complicated.

The situation became even more controversial at this year’s trade deadline.

Jonathan Kuminga’s exit reignites debate

The Warriors traded forward Jonathan Kuminga to the Atlanta Hawks at the deadline, a move that immediately reignited criticism from fans who believed Kerr never fully trusted the 23-year-old.

Even during injury-affected stretches for the Warriors, Kuminga never secured a permanent starting role under Kerr. Because of that history, many supporters viewed the trade as proof that the coaching staff had mismanaged the young forward’s development.

Kuminga’s early performances in Atlanta only intensified that debate. In his first three games with the Hawks, the forward averaged 21.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.3 assists while quickly adapting to a larger offensive role.

Those numbers fueled online criticism from Warriors fans who felt Kuminga could have reached that level earlier if he had been given consistent minutes in Golden State. Still, Kerr has repeatedly emphasized that developing young players while competing for championships is rarely straightforward.

Brandin Podziemski eventually earned a starting opportunity within the system. Meanwhile, other prospects such as Wiseman, Moody, and Kuminga struggled to carve out consistent roles on a roster built around veteran stars.

For Kerr, those decisions represent the reality of coaching a team that spent years chasing championships. For fans online, however, the debate has often turned personal.

That environment ultimately explains why Kerr chose to remove himself from social media entirely. The move allows him to focus on coaching while avoiding the daily flood of online criticism that comes with leading one of the NBA’s most scrutinized franchises.