ESPN Aggressively Pursues Steve Kerr for NBA Broadcast Role as Warriors Coach Weighs Future

Steve Kerr's future with the Golden State Warriors remains uncertain after the team's first losing record since the 2019-20 season.

ESPN is reportedly pursuing Kerr aggressively for a potential NBA broadcasting role, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein. Kerr enters the final year of his contract with no extension in place.

Kerr holds four NBA championships as a head coach and five as a player. He previously worked as a TNT broadcaster and ranks among basketball's most recognizable figures.

Kerr has emerged as one of the loudest political voices in American sports over the past decade. He has spoken on gun control, criticized Donald Trump, commented on immigration and taken positions on culture-war issues that align with left-wing views.

ESPN has struggled to stabilize its NBA coverage. The network fired Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson, hired Doc Rivers who later left for the Milwaukee Bucks, elevated JJ Redick who departed to coach the Los Angeles Lakers, and shifted roles for Doris Burke and Tim Legler. For the 2025-26 season, Legler joins Mike Breen, Richard Jefferson and Lisa Salters in the lead booth.

ESPN secured rights as the NBA's main media partner, including distribution of TNT's "Inside the NBA" for studio coverage.

Kerr would suit a lead analyst role on game broadcasts, including the NBA Finals. No one matches his experience with nine NBA titles as player and coach, and he has prior television work.

Golden State's modern identity ties closely to Kerr and Stephen Curry. Kerr recently expressed regret over calling Trump a "buffoon," a shift some view as toning down his rhetoric.

The Warriors dynasty has ended, and television offers an easier path. ESPN stands as the likely destination given its pursuit of big names like Kerr.