You’ve probably seen the memes. Or maybe you were just scrolling through a box score and did a double-take. It’s one of those internet things that starts as a genuine question—what is steve kerr son name?—and quickly spirals into a mix of genuine basketball talk and unfortunate social media jokes.
Let's just clear the air right away. Steve Kerr has two sons. The one everyone is talking about is Nicholas Kerr, though he’s gone by "Nick" for most of his life.
It’s a name. A normal name, really, until you say it fast. Steve and his wife Margot probably didn’t realize they were creating a phonetic landmine back in 1992. But hey, in the early 90s, "viral" only referred to the flu, and nobody was thinking about how a name would sound to a bored teenager on Reddit thirty years later.
Nicholas Kerr and the Coaching Life
Nicholas isn't just a name on a birth certificate; the guy is actually deep in the family business. Honestly, it would be weirder if he wasn’t into basketball. Growing up with a dad who won five rings as a player and four as a coach? You’re going to pick up a clipboard eventually.
Nicholas played his college ball as a walk-on at the University of San Diego and later at Cal Berkeley. He wasn’t a superstar. He was a role player, a "coach on the floor" type.
🔗 Read more: Inter Miami vs Toronto: What Really Happened in Their Recent Clashes
Recently, he’s been making some serious moves. After spending time as a video coordinator—which is basically the "starting at the mailroom" equivalent for NBA coaches—he took over as the head coach of the Santa Cruz Warriors in the G League.
He didn't just sit there, either. He led the team to back-to-back 20-14 seasons. As of June 2025, he’s officially been "called up" to the big show. He’s now an assistant coach for the Golden State Warriors, sitting right there on the bench with his dad.
Is It Just Nepotism?
Whenever the question of what is steve kerr son name pops up, the "N-word" (nepotism, not the other one) usually follows close behind. It’s a fair conversation. Would Nicholas have a job on an NBA bench at 32 if his last name was Smith? Probably not this fast.
But here’s the thing about the NBA: it’s a small world.
💡 You might also like: Matthew Berry Positional Rankings: Why They Still Run the Fantasy Industry
- Experience: He spent years in the video room.
- The Spurs Connection: He interned under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio.
- The Grind: Coaching in the G League isn't exactly a luxury vacation. You’re taking commercial flights and staying in mid-range hotels in cities like Sioux Falls.
Nicholas has been pretty open about it, too. He’s gone on record saying he knows he has privilege. He isn't pretending he started from the bottom. But in the basketball world, if you can’t draw up a play that works, the players will tune you out in five minutes, regardless of who your dad is.
The Other Kerr Siblings
While Nicholas is the one in the headlines because of the coaching gig (and the name), he’s not the only one in the family. Steve and Margot have three kids in total.
- Madeleine "Maddy" Kerr: She was a standout volleyball player at Cal. She didn't follow the coaching route, though. She went to law school at Berkeley and is now a corporate lawyer.
- Matthew Kerr: The youngest. He’s the "artsy" one. Instead of scouting reports, he’s into screenplays. He actually worked as a writing assistant on Ted Lasso. Talk about a cool job.
Why the "Nicholas" Switch?
You might notice that in recent press releases from the Warriors, they almost exclusively refer to him as "Nicholas." They aren't fooling anyone, but it’s a clear PR move.
The internet can be a pretty cruel place. When he was promoted to head coach in Santa Cruz, the jokes were everywhere. By shifting to his full given name, the organization is trying to put a bit of professional distance between the man and the meme. It’s a "grown-up" move for a guy who is trying to be taken seriously as a future NBA head coach.
📖 Related: What Time Did the Cubs Game End Today? The Truth About the Off-Season
What’s Next for Nicholas?
The path from G League head coach to NBA assistant is the standard pipeline. Most of the guys on that Golden State bench—like Kris Weems or Aaron Miles—did the exact same thing.
If you’re looking to follow his career, watch the Summer League. That’s usually where the younger assistants get to run the show. Whether he eventually lands a head coaching job somewhere else or stays in the Warriors' "family business" remains to be seen.
Next Steps for You:
If you're genuinely interested in the tactical side of things, go watch some highlights of the Santa Cruz Warriors from the 2024 season. You’ll see a lot of the same "motion" principles Steve Kerr uses in San Francisco, but with Nicholas's own little tweaks on the defensive end.