Steve Kerr: A Life – The Definitive Biography of an Improbable Champion Who Overcame Tragedy to Build NBA Dynasties

by Scott Howard-Cooper

"Thrilling." — Publishers Weekly (starred) | "Riveting." — Library Journal (starred) | "A fascinating look at a fascinating life." —Roland Lazenby, author of Michael Jordan The definitive biography of Steve Kerr, the championship-winning basketball player and head coach of the record-breaking Golden State Warriors Few individuals have had a career as storied, and improbable, as Steve Kerr. He has won eight NBA titles—five as a player and three as a coach—for three different franchises. He played alongside the best players of a generation, from Michael Jordan to Shaquille O’Neal to Tim Duncan, and learned the craft of basketball under four legendary coaches. He was an integral part of two famed NBA dynasties. Perhaps no other figure in basketball history has had a hand in such greatness. In Steve Kerr , award-winning sports journalist Scott Howard-Cooper uncovers the fascinating life story of a basketball legend. Kerr did not follow a traditional path to the NBA. He was born in Beirut to two academics and split his childhood between California and the Middle East. Though he was an impressive shooter, the undersized Kerr garnered almost no attention from major college programs, managing only at the last moment to snag the final scholarship at the University of Arizona. Then, during his freshman season at Arizona, tragedy struck. His father, Malcolm, then the president of the American University of Beirut, was assassinated in Lebanon by terrorists. Forged by the crucible of this family saga, Steve went on to chart an unparalleled life in basketball, on the court and on the sidelines. The only coach other than Red Auerbach to lead a team to the Finals five consecutive seasons, Kerr seems destined for the Basketball Hall of Fame.  Steve Kerr  is his incredible story, offering insights into the man and what it takes to be—and make—a champion. Drawing upon Scott Howard-Cooper’s years covering Warriors, deep archival research, and original interviews with more than one hundred of the central characters in Kerr’s life, this is basketball biography at its finest.

Genres: Sports, Basketball, Biography, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography Memoir, Leadership

336 pages, Hardcover

Published June 15, 2021

Reviews

[HR-ML · Rating 4 out of 5]

I watched the Chicago Bulls documentary "The Last Dance"
which was mostly about Michael Jordan. I wanted to learn
more about Steve Kerr. This was a quick read. (Kindle
edition).

Steve Kerr was thought too short (6'2"), too slow & lacked
defense to play college basketball or to go pro. He played
for the Arizona Wildcats & then won 5 NBA championships
inside his 15 yr. NBA player career. As Golden State
Warriors head coach, his team were NBA champs 3x.

Steve understood the mental prep & strategy involved in
basketball. Michael Jordan wanted to 'win at all costs' &
was a trash-talker. He & Steve (both Bulls Players) got
into fisticuffs during a Bulls practice & Steve got a black
eye. But Michael gained new respect for him. Mike learned
via a sports journalist that Steves's Dad had also been
murdered.

Malcolm Kerr, president of the American University of
Beirut was murdered by a terrorist group. Steve decided
to participate in his Wildcats game, after hearing of his
Dad's murder. What a strong young man! But the
opposing team chanted "PLO"+ "Where's your father?"
to taunt him. Steve later received verbal and written
apologies.

Steve learned coaching styles & player motivation from
mentor coaches: Lute Olson, Phil Jackson & Gregg
Popovich. Prior to coaching, Steve did NBA broad-
casting and served as a General Mgr. for the Phoenix
Suns. Steve and Pres. Trump crossed verbal swords on
gun control & racial justice. His team the Warriers took
a vote & declined a W. House invite after winning as NBA
champs.

Steve when young, traveled w/ his parents & learned
appreciation of other cultures. Steve & Margot wed
2 yrs after he became a NBA player & built a solid,
close family w/ their kids (now adults).

Revised.

[Maćkowy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Przeczytałem, ale się nie cieszę. To nie jest autoryzowana biografia, co więcej Kerr nie udzielił do niej autorowi książki ani jednego wywiadu i to czuć, bo dostajemy wiadro wazeliny w którym pływają wyrwane z kontekstu sceny z życia byłego rezerwowego Chicago Bulls. Mamy też masę takich wypowiedzi: „Trener Kerr zmienił moje podejście do koszykówki” nie dowiadujemy się jednak w jaki sposób to zrobił – zmienił to zmienił, po co drążyć temat?
W każdym razie osobowość formatu Steve Kerra zasługuje na o wiele lepszą książkę.

[Allen Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sports biographies are tricky things.

The history of professional sports in this country is built on a foundation of legacy. The lionization of athletic giants is an underlying tenet of pro sports, with the games in a constant conversation with their own history. Protecting that history – that legacy – is paramount to many if not most pro athletes.

At the same time, leaving that history unexamined does a disservice to the reader. A simple and glowing account of an athlete’s feats, all buffed glossiness, is nothing more than hagiography – overly simplistic, unchallenging … and incredibly dull.

And it only gets trickier when the subject isn’t directly involved.

That’s the juggling act Scott Howard-Cooper has undertaken with his new book “Steve Kerr: A Life.” It’s the story of the rich and fascinating life lived by Steve Kerr. From his globetrotting boyhood to an underdog basketball journey to the pinnacle of his profession, Kerr’s is a tale almost too interesting to be real, marked by triumph and tragedy.

Telling that story without a direct contribution from Kerr is a bold choice, one that Howard-Cooper hasn’t undertaken lightly. Thanks to his decades-long history and sterling reputation in the sportswriting sphere, he’s one of the few writers with the combination of juice and talent to make a project like this work.

The book delivers precisely what the title promises – this is the life of Steve Kerr. He was born the son of academics, people who traveled the world. He grew up bouncing between Europe, the Middle East and southern California. But all the while, his passion for basketball was growing – as was his talent.

He turned that talent into a scintillating high school career, but his perceived limitations – lack of speed and athleticism and defensive acumen – outweighed his obvious shooting skill for most college coaches. Lucky circumstances landed him a last-ditch end-of-the-bench spot at Arizona, playing for Lute Olson. He turned from a scrub to a starter, part of the program’s renaissance.

It was also during his time at UA that Steve Kerr came to the attention of the nation, but not for his actions on the court. It wasn’t about him at all in fact; Kerr’s father, serving as the president of the American University in Beirut, was killed by an assassin. Burying his grief, Kerr soon returned to the court and pressed onward – basketball was his only refuge from sad reality.

He was drafted by the NBA in the second round; Kerr hoped to squeeze out a season or two in the league before turning to broadcasting or coaching or front office work. He’d do all those things, but not until after he wrapped up a 15-year career with a reputation for three-point sharpshooting and intensely inquisitive basketball intelligence. Oh, and five rings.

From there, he spent time as the general manager of the Phoenix Suns and a few years as an exceptional member of NBA broadcast teams. His first (and still only) head coaching job was taking over the Golden State Warriors – he just wrapped up his seventh season on the bench. In five of those seasons, the Warriors won the Wester Conference. And in three, they were NBA champs.

In that span, we also saw Kerr become considerably more outspoken about the issues of the day, expressing his thoughts about gun violence and occasionally sniping at (and getting sniped at by) the President of the United States. He also dealt with significant back injuries, with a procedure to fix a herniated disc leading to years of agony, pain so great that he missed significant time, unable to do his job.

“Steve Kerr: A Life” would have been a different book with more buy-in from Kerr and the Warriors organization. That’s not in dispute. However, there’s no disputing the care and thoroughness with which Howard-Cooper has assembled this work. Diligently assembling over 100 in-person interviews to go with piles of annotated research, Howard-Cooper has put together a comprehensive look at one of the most interesting men in professional sports today.

The author’s admiration for his subject is clear, but while his appreciation of Kerr is effusive throughout, Howard-Cooper does manage to avoid falling into the trap of starry-eyed hagiography. Kerr’s imperfections might be relatively few, but they are there; Howard-Cooper shares them with us just as readily as the lauding pages of accolades.

“Steve Kerr: A Life” is a straightforward sports biography, a book that doesn’t reinvent the wheel but still gives the reader ample insight into its subject. If this is a book that interests you, you’ve likely read a number of very similar works already, if not in terms of subject, then at least in terms of style and tone. There are a lot of VERY bad sports bios out there, but rest assured that this is not one of them. A breezy, fast-moving read that – much like its titular namesake – makes the majority of its shots.

[Arjun SV · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not the biggest basketball fan but enjoyed reading this. Steve Kerr's experiences with his dad being one of the first victims of terrorism in the Middle East and him struggling to get a college scholarship and still becoming one of the best leaders in the game of basketball is just awe inspiring. Highly recommended

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in Southern California and was a huge fan of professional basketball, attending games through the 1980s, when the sport’s popularity put ticket prices out of my reach. I had a secret dream to be a sportswriter, so might be a tiny bit envious of the career of Scott Howard-Cooper, the author of this new biography of Steve Kerr. Howard-Cooper also grew up in Southern California, and has been a sportswriter at the Los Angeles Times since 1981, covering the NBA since 1988.

Full disclosure: I LOVE Steve Kerr. He isn’t your typical NBA guy: the son of two academics, he was born in Beirut and grew up splitting time between Southern California and the Middle East. His path to the NBA was fascinating: even as a student, he was a terrific shooter, but was virtually ignored by all major college basketball recruiters, until he was fortunate to get a scholarship to Arizona, where he played under the first of several amazing mentors, Lute Olson. While at Arizona, his father, who was then the President of American University in Beirut, was the victim of a terrorist assassination. He had always thought “Bad things happened to other people. I was immune from anything like that …”

After playing alongside Michael Jordan et al in Chicago, where he was coached by another mentor, Phil Jackson. Over the years, his teammates included Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Tim Duncan, and Steve Nash, and coaches included Greg Popovich during Kerr’s time in San Antonio. After his playing career, he became a coach at Golden State, where he “…would…continue to emphasize the four core values–competition, compassion, mindfulness, and joy…” Over the years, Kerr has won eight NBA titles (five as a player, three as a coach), and will surely be in the Hall of Fame one day. Despite serious health problems during the Warriors’ championship years that caused him to take leaves of absence, he kept working: “instead of wanting to get healthy to return to work, he returned to work to get healthy.”

Overall, this is one of the best sports biographies I’ve read, and Howard-Cooper has done a terrific job capturing the focus on communication and teamwork that Kerr is known for. In his acknowledgments, the author notes that he had a “…vision that the story be about a man who had an interesting career but a fascinating life.” I recently read Tall Men, Short Shorts, another NBA-focused book by Leigh Mountville, sportswriter for the Boston Celtics, that focuses on the 1969 Lakers-Celtics championship series but has a wealth of stories about basketball players and coaches. That one was done primarily from the author’s memory (he admitted that he wishes he’d kept a journal over the years), while this book is incredibly well researched and documented. So much so that my Kindle showed I was just 74% through when I got to the Notes. Steve Kerr–a Life is definitely a must-read for basketball fans, but will be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates a well-written story about an incredible person. I give it one star for each of Kerr’s rings earned as a player: Five big stars. Thanks to William Morrow / Custom House and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for this honest review. And I love Steve Kerr more than ever.

[Patrick Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steve Kerr

- He mostly grew up in Beirut
- His father was murdered in Beirut and the Lebanese civil war, when Steve was a freshman in college
- Growing up overseas he saw danger and extreme poverty. He grew up in a liberal educated home. By his teens he was aware and grateful for privilege. His liberal values were engrained early
- He was not highly recruited out of high school. He barely made the Arizona basketball team. A team that had a 11-14 record the previous year. But the team had a new coach
- It was the start of the program’s growth into a power house. They would make the tournament his sophomore year, the start of a 25 year streak
- Steve played four of out five years at ASU. He missed his senior year because a significant knee injury he sustained in the FIBA semi finals. He became a leader of the team, one of the most popular people in Tuscan. His father’s death endeared him to the team and community
- He grew from essentially a walk on to team captain, All American, leading the team to the ‘88 final four. They beat UNC in the elite eight
- He was friendly, with great social skills. He was a writer on his high school paper and wrote articles in college. A gifted public speaker. He was not a square, he could be an asshole and drink with the rest of them. Constantly learning and working, he was a scrappy three point shooter, with weak defense
- He is hyper competitive and unafraid to speak up or get into a scrap
- Drafted by the Suns, moved to Cleveland for three seasons, the Magic for one, before signing for the league minimum with the Bulls
- He signed with the Bulls the season MJ left to play baseball. He was never a starter in the league but a solid bench player. He was almost out of the league before he signed with the Bulls. In Cleveland he played a supporting role in deep playoff runs
- He thrived in Chicago because his flexibility, basketball IQ, and three point shooting were ideal for the triangle offense
- He was known as a quality person, great teammate, and upstanding citizen
- His injury season at ASU was his first experience coaching. Learning from the legendary Lute Olson. Few people can compete with the line of coaches he played and learned from
- In his NBA career he only played on one team with a losing record and one team that was 500. He holds the NBA record for career three point percentage .454
- I had long wanted to read this book but then it felt like an obligation. I started reading it and find it enjoyable
- The story of the fight. It might be the first line of his obituary. It’s all true; he stood up to MJ, got in a fight, MJ punched him, later MJ apologized, Kerr had MJ’s respect
- He not only partied with Rodman in the Atlantic City jaunt, it was his idea. Steve Kerr is a legend
- He hit the series winner in the second championship. A moment that solidified him as a basketball legend. That changed his life
- His time in Chicago propelled his future. His connection with Phil, his name, and other things
- He was the Bull’s player rep in the union
- He was a quasi spiritual emotional leader and protector for his teammates the second and third championship years. He also took some of the attention away from the big three. He would often do interviews and press events so others wouldn’t have to
- They were more business associates than buddies but the respect and trust was there. It was not until a reporter mentioned the connection that MJ learned that both their father’s had been murdered
- Steve took public transit to home games
- True to journalist roots, Kerr was always media savvy. He often worked the team’s media department. Always available for interviews and willing to do the team media work. During an injury plagued second Spurs season, he spent time as a player/commentator. After his playing career he naturally transitioned to TV
- All three of his big coach mentors emphasized competitiveness and toughness but had a way of personally connecting with each player. They built trusting and united teams. An atmosphere that Steve’s personality naturally meshed with and would go on to be a staple of his coaching style
- His first stint with the Spurs was not a good fit. They were a slower team that focused on defense and offense in the paint. Steve’s weakness and not utilizing his shooting. Despite his diminished playing time, poor performance, and not being a good fit, he forged a strong and lasting bond with Pop
- He was the first player outside of Bill Russell’s Celtics, to four championships in a row
- His time as the Sun’s GM
- He waited until his kids were mostly out of the house to take a coaching job
- He almost signed with the Knicks and Phil Jackson. He has great loyalty and love for Phil. In a 48 hour swing shortly after the Warriors were eliminated from the playoffs, he interviewed with and signed as the Warriors coach. He pursued them, they were the right fit
- Phil taught him the value of humor in video sessions. He would splice in movie clips to lighten the mood and make a point
- He missed the team environment, the chemistry, the locker room, the competition, the people. He was a natural on TV and decent GM, but his true calling was coaching
- He was a highly sought after coach even though he lacked formal coaching experience
- The book glosses over many of the Warriors seasons and championship runs. The ‘16 finals were given a paragraph. This was a big gap in the book, I wanted more behind the scenes of the Warriors, I wanted more coverage of his coaching. This book could have benefited from being an hour or two longer. As with most biographies, the last section goes too quickly
- The Warriors visited Obama but not Trump. He became more outspoken as gun violence increased and Trump became President. This was a longer section than multiple Warriors seasons. I loved the coverage of his advocacy and political views. A big reason I love him and Pop, they are vocal progressives
- He is quick to anger and has a temper. He is hyper competitive, even for competitive people. He is quick to apologize and make amends
- I know I am missing sections. I listened to the last four hours in one clip. Kerr is one of my favorite coaches and I loved this book, I am glad I read it
- His four core values: competition, compassion, mindfulness, and joy

[Tom Vranas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointingly bland retelling of a very interesting life and career. This felt more like a Wikipedia entry come to life. I should have read the acknowledgments to find Kerr had zero involvement. Interesting story but not worth the time.

[Adamen]

did not finish

[Grant Gerstner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Kerr: A life is a biography of the famous basketball player and now coach Steve Kerr. The book gave an in-depth description of everything Kerr went through in his life and the struggles he persevered through to make it to where he is. He faced things such as not being in the same country as his parents. A tragic death to a close family member and many other tragic things all played an effect on his early life.

The author of the book Scott Howard-Cooper has been in the sports writing industry since the 1980s. He has worked with outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, ESPN, NBA, and NBA TV. He has written three major books in his career all about sports. He has won several awards for his editorial roles and author roles in his books, however, he was not always a writer. He graduated from USC with a degree in POlitical sciences but has since worked as one of the most well-known sports media writers to this day. Although the book was nonfiction there was a distinct change as Steve grew up as he went from a skinny old kid who was barely scouted coming out of high school to being the mastermind of the best NBA team ever and a prolific scorer in the NBA. As with all biographies, there are parts that are more interesting than others and this book was no different. I thought that the beginning was quite dull and where it was interesting to learn that he was far away from his family throughout his early life as well as other tragic events, I thought the author dragged it out a little too long. On the flip side, I really enjoyed the parts of the book when the author was describing pre, in, or post-game situations that Steve was in. I thought he used very vivid words to help really picture what was going on. I was never alive and had never seen what happened in his playing career so I thought it was very well written by the author. One of my favorite parts of the book was seeing him come back from a bad injury in his college career as I think it really showed what kind of a player and what kind of a person he was. Another thing I liked about the book was the writing style of the author. He used words to help describe the situations very well but did not use old-time words or massive words that nobody would understand.

Overall I really enjoyed the book and learning about the life of Steve Kerr. I did not know much about Kerr going into it and could not believe how many things he went through to get to where he is today. I would recommend this book to people who like biographies but especially if you like basketball or Steve Kerr. The only thing I did not like about the book is that it took a while to get going and was exciting but after you get into the thick of it, it becomes a whirlwind of emotions and a great read.

[Karine Darnessy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note réelle 4,5/5.
De base, je ne lis pratiquement jamais de biographie. Pourtant, celle-ci m’a interpellée. J’avais envie de découvrir un autre univers, celui du basket américain.
Dès les premières pages, on embarque dans la vie de Steve « Stephen » Kerr. De sa naissance à maintenant. Sa vie entre plusieurs pays dont la ville où son père est mort assassiné aux championnats de NBA et sa carrière d’entraîneur. On découvre un homme avec une grande persévérance malgré les nombreux doutes et revers qu’il subit. C’est une personne qui travaille dur, qui se remet en question et qui a une vision personnelle réaliste du monde dans lequel il a évolué.
J’ai apprécié de lire l’évolution de cet homme au sein d’un univers particulièrement cruel et dynamique. Son parcours semé d’embûches qu’il relève grâce à une force psychologique forte. Je me suis attaché à cette personne que le destin a essayé de mettre à terre à plusieurs reprises. Et fut très heureuse de voir aussi les réussites qui l’ont amenée là où il en ait.
Mon seul bémol dans ma lecture viendra de la narration que j’ai trouvée un peu lourde mais qui ne gâche en rien l’intérêt et le plaisir que j’ai eu à découvrir cet ouvrage.
Ce livre fut une très bonne découverte. J’ai adoré découvrir le monde du basket et de la NBA de cette façon et j’avoue que j’ai un grand respect pour Steve Kerr, pour la personne qu’il est.
https://la-bibliotheque-du-labyrinthe...

[Peter P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book and - despite it not being an authorized biography, as Kerr chose not to cooperate with the author in this project - I found it to be a very good read. Kerr's story, from being a very good high school player, who was headed for obscurity when no college wanted to offer him a scholarship, ended up squeezing one out of The University of Arizona. After the devastating news of his father's assassination that came as Kerr was a young freshman, he went on to complete a great college career, and a storied NBA career as a player - where he won titles with Michael Jordan as a Bull, and Tim Duncan, as a Spur, and as a coach, where he led the Golden State Warriors on their historic run. Politically aware, and with a great sense of his place in the world, Kerr has been an eloquent spokesperson for social issues, including responsible gun control. I brought a positive bias for Steve Kerr into this book and I read nothing to dissuade me from my sense of him as a pretty cool dude.

[Kyle Beacom · Rating 4 out of 5]

From his birth Steve Kerr has lived a fascinating life, including being born in Lebanon and raised in the Middle East and overcoming his father's murder. As his basketball career took off he had the good fortune of playing with a who's who in the coaching world: Lute Olson, Phil Jackson, and Gregg Popovich. He played with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, David Robinson, and Tim Duncan. During his playing career he had a hand in five NBA titles. All of this prepped for his coaching debut with the Golden State Warriors in 2014. In the decade that has followed Kerr has led the Warriors to four NBA titles. But it hasn't been all roses as he has dealt with severe back problems that led to missing team on the bench. More recently, Kerr has become more verbal about certain political issues, especially gun violence.

This was a fascinating read and provided some insights for myself as a coach. Kerr is constantly learning, evolving, and taking ideas from others. In the basketball world he has been surrounded by greatness and used it to his advantage.

[Russ Bertetta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm caught between a 3 and a 4. I really liked a lot of the book but other facets of the book just turned me off a bit. I didn't really care for the author's style. I thought he was overly wordy: twice I counted 52 word sentences which I think is an author showing off-thinking "check out my prose, my writing style!" Secondly, he repeated, almost mantra-like the stories of Kerr's background: small, skinny kid who barely got looked at by colleges, drafted in the second round , not really wanted but found a home doing what he did best-shooting the ball, passed on to other teams only to prove himself again and again. This was a recurring theme throughout and I for one said enough!
I really liked his years at Arizona with Coach Olsen and how he became the Warrior coach. We in the Bay Area know most of the story but not the intrigue behind it. I think Kerr is as happy with his decision of not going to the Knicks (how awful that would have been) as we are.
Overall at 3.5

[Tom Gase · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book because not only has Steve Kerr lived an amazing life that has often included him bouncing back from something really difficult (his Dad dying, not offered a basketball scholarship at first, not expected to be an NBA player, etc) but I enjoyed it because Steve Kerr is just a solid good person. Probably one of the best human beings alive. I love his humor and I love what he stands for -- especially with gun control. A lot of his titles with the Bulls, Spurs, Warriors are skimmed here, this is more a book on the man himself. If you're looking for a book about the Golden State Warriors, you'll be disappointed. There is really nothing about his coaching career until about 4/5 through the book. But it's still good stuff. I could really see myself in another life hanging out with Steve Kerr and enjoying it.

[Peter Young · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Kerr is a fascinating individual who has led a very interesting life. Unfortunately this book is not so fascinating. It simply fell flat. I try not to be too critical because I know how hard it is to write a book, and kudos to the author for attempting this, but I wonder what this book would look like in the hands of someone like David Halberstam. So often I was hoping for more insight into the relationship and background of the coaches Kerr played for and the teammates he played with. After reading this book I know absolutely nothing about the relationship between Kerr and his best player, Steph Curry. I actually struggled to finish this book.

[Nick Weil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really incredible life story, especially since it ties in to so many other stories. You could use this book as a jumping off point into many other full-on books on separate topics. Clearly written rather than dramatically written, the book sticks to mainly facts. But does touch on deep topics such as Kerr's anger as a personality trait and his frustration with painful back issues. It turns someone who is 2D (a basketball related face) into a full 3D person. There are "hooks" in the story that could be appreciated by all kinds of people, not just warriors fans. Some things, even, for people who know nothing about basketball.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Kerr is my favorite basketball player of all time. When I was little the world waited for MJ to play and of course that was amazing, but I was waiting for the sure shot to check in. This book is a quick read that focuses primarily on Kerrs basketball career but also provides a little more insight into who the man is. A family man, seriously dedicated to his wife and children and basketball man second. I also enjoy the insight into his political thought and need to speak out against social injustices and the fact the government refuses to do anything regarding gun violence. If you enjoy sport books and docs, pick up a copy of this.

[Leonard]

A funread. Liviing in Arizona my whole life I am a devout Windcat fan. This book brings back the magnificant days of Windcat basketball. The explosion of basketball in Tucson helped other sports become nationally prominanr in later years.

I bcame amused at the conflict between Kerr and Trump. I remember the terrible injury to Kerr when he couldn't coach on the sidelines for most of the 2016 season. All in all, a good storymabout a man that had a lot of luck on his side withe the ability to work hard at it. Well done.

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only vaguely knew about Steve Kerr, but what little I did know was good. So when this book popped up at my library I thought why not check it out. I found Steve's background to be interesting, much like his path to playing basketball and how he was viewed on each team to how Kerr transitioned to commentating, being a GM and coaching. So much of his success and the teams the played on/coached seemed to due his personality and how he wants the best for his teammates/players.

[Ethan Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Solid book that describes the Kerr legacy so far perfectly. One of fortune and skill all lining up to lead to one of the most unexpected hall of fam careers ever. The addition of Kerr’s humour and activism make the multiple time championship winning player and coach seem more human to the reader. A humanizing read of the man behind the rings is exactly what I picked this book up for, and it delivered.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The time it took to read this is a reflection of workload, not the book! I’m not a huge basketball fan, but I know enough to have been interested in the GSW dynasty and appreciate Steve Kerr’s political stance. It was interesting to learn more about what happened to his father, his own playing career (of which I knew nothing) and his confidence in voicing his political opinions via his platform.

[Mate Somogyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

An average book about an extraordinary person.
The structure of the book is great, author found good storylines. Unfortunately, the book ended up a really hard read, like a never ending newspaper article, same too much tempo all the way.

It’s clear that there are a lot of facts and research done about Kerr’s life that has a value. Too bad it ended up in a documentary-style writing, Steve Kerr’s surprising life deserves a much better storytelling.

[JD' · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Kerr weighs in on the G.O.A.T. debate between Michael Jordan vs LeBron James, "i have equal respect for Micheal and LeBron, they both gave me three rings."

Steve Kerr should have become a stand up comedian.

Good biography. However, terrible ending as it got to political and did not include the 2022 NBA Finals victory.

[Christopher Wiggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve is as grounded as they come. Lots about his life I was not aware of and no respect him even more. His approach to life and the sport of basketball is beautiful. Steve’s character is one you try to emulate.

Author’s writing style was not for me but I always enjoy learning new thing about life and people.

[Mark Frigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always been a fan of Steve Kerr since his days with the Bulls. This is a well written, fast read. It is not an autobiography and Steve Kerr did not give the author any special interviews beyond the usual press/media access. But it gives you a good flavor of the man’s life which has been pretty remarkable. It just goes to show that hard work, resiliency, and caring for other pays off.

[Kazi Cama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before reading this, all I knew about Steve Kerr was that was the coach of the Golden State Warriors. It was interesting to hear about his childhood and his basketball career before becoming a head coach. While it wasn’t the motivator I was looking for, I felt inspired by the way Steve Kerr overcame of the tragedy of his father’s death and became a basketball star.

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is difficult to believe that one person has lived through what Steve Kerr has and come out on the other side with about as much success in basketball as anyone. The story of his father is terribly tragic and anger inducing, but Kerr has not used that to fuel anger. The reader really felt they knew Steve Kerr, which is what a biography should do.

[Brody Sager · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is pretty good I like basketball so it was interesting on how Steve Kerr life was and his life coaching and playing it was super cool, but, the book was kinda jumping over the place so sometimes I would lose track but nevertheless it was a good book and I got it as a gift from someone who read it so I really appreciate it.

[Toni Lolo Lolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Complete and entertaining biography that allows to get personal insights (although not directly wrote by Kerr) into the live and career of Steve Kerr. Inspirational to read about setbacks, struggles and circumstances that shaped Kerr´s life, in which he had a lot of successes but also hard times.

[David Barney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice overview of Steve Kerr’s playing and coaching careers in basketball. I really enjoyed the chapters in the book from Kerr’s Arizona and Chicago career. I didn’t care much for the chapters of Kerr’s political views.