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Warriors News: Nepotism Accusations Shut down as 4X NBA Champion Comes to Steve Kerr’s Family’s Defense

Published 02/20/2024, 11:44 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

It has been over six months since the Golden State Warriors promoted Steve Kerr’s son, Nicholas Kerr, to the head coaching position of their G League team. Nick replaced former head coach Seth Cooper to become the new leader of the Santa Cruz Warriors. Even though Nick is 11-7 in his first head coaching job, he has been accused of nepotism by several critics. Many believe Nick only got this job because he is the Warriors’ head coach’s son.

Amid the accusations, former Warriors assistant coach and 4-time Champion Mike Brown came to Nick Kerr’s rescue and silenced the critics. “You wouldn’t know that he’s Steve’s son. Never did he take for granted, which he easily could have, who his father was… especially how successful Steve is and everything he touches in life. That selflessness, how humble he is, paid dividends because he’s a hard worker and very, very smart guy.” Brown worked closely with Nick during his time in Golden State and admired his work ethic.

USA Today via Reuters

The critics who believe Nick got the head coaching job because of nepotism are unfamiliar with how long he has been part of the league. Nicholas Kerr started his NBA journey under Gregg Popovich’s wing in 2017 as a video room assistant for the San Antonio Spurs.

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After a year in San Antonio, Nick moved under his father’s wing and did the same work for three seasons. Nick then followed in his father’s footsteps and started his coaching journey as the assistant coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors. He finally bagged the head coaching job last year after serving two seasons as an assistant coach. Contrary to popular belief, Nick Kerr has reached the head coaching position based on merit.

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Nicholas Kerr is unsure about following in his father’s footsteps

While many would think that the next logical step for Nick would be to become an assistant coach or a head coach for an NBA team, he is currently not set on that path. “I love coaching basketball, and whatever that leads me to, we’ll see. I’m ambitious, but I don’t know. I just like doing fun jobs in the NBA or G League,” Nick revealed that he loves his job but is in no hurry to follow in Steve Kerr’s footsteps.

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Nick also said that he has never been pressured by his father to live up to his legacy. Instead, Nick is focused on helping the Santa Cruz Warriors win this season and getting better next year. “I feel like at this point next year I’ll be better at finding that balance in development versus coaching and strategy.” Nicholas Kerr is a hard-working individual, and even if he decides to go a different route than his father, he is most likely to find success in it.

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Written by:

Rohan Bhaunt

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Rohan Singh Bhaunt, an NBA Writer at EssentiallySports, boasts a background as a divisional basketball player and an NBA enthusiast spanning over a decade. His extensive knowledge of the sport enables him to intricately explore its nuances, presenting a fresh outlook. Rohan's dive into the NBA newsdesk at ES commenced with witnessing LeBron James secure his inaugural championship in Miami.
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Edited by:

Vishav