Warriors coach Steve Kerr was ready to retire, until 1 game changed his mind

Steve Kerr was prepared to walk away from the Golden State Warriors before one dramatic late-season victory ultimately changed the course of his future with the franchise.

In a detailed report published Thursday by ESPN’s Wright Thompson, Kerr revealed he had privately decided the 2025-26 season would be his last coaching Golden State. According to Thompson, Kerr entered the Warriors’ first Play-In game in Los Angeles believing there was a “95 percent” chance he would retire once the season ended.

“I’m not leaving,” Kerr later told Thompson following Golden State’s emotional 126-121 win over the Los Angeles Clippers.

The report offered an extensive look into Kerr’s mindset during a difficult season in which the Warriors battled injuries, inconsistency and questions surrounding the aging core led by Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.

Before the Clippers matchup, Kerr reportedly felt emotionally drained after 12 seasons with the organization. He reflected on how the chemistry and emotional connection that once defined the Warriors dynasty had begun to fade.

“I think it’s over,” Kerr told Thompson before the game.

Kerr described feeling exhausted by the long NBA grind while wrestling with the possibility of leaving behind something that had defined much of his life. He also acknowledged how much he would miss the daily routines surrounding coaching, including meetings, road trips and competition itself.

“It’s a little scary walking away from something I love,” Kerr said.

The turning point came when Curry returned late in the regular season. Thompson detailed how Golden State’s atmosphere briefly resembled the franchise’s championship years, rekindling emotions Kerr thought had disappeared.

“How can I ever leave Steph Curry?” Kerr asked his wife, Margot, during a walk after Curry’s return.

Clippers play-in thriller reignited Steve Kerr’s desire to keep coaching Warriors

That momentum carried into the Warriors’ Play-In showdown against the Clippers. Golden State fell behind multiple times before rallying late behind Curry, Green and veteran forward Al Horford. Thompson described the game as reigniting something inside Kerr, who repeatedly told those around him, “It’s on,” in the days leading up to the matchup.

After Curry hit a decisive late three-pointer and Green delivered key defensive plays, the Warriors secured the win in one of Kerr’s favorite victories of his coaching career.

“For one night, we’re us,” Kerr said afterward. “We are champions again.”

Inside the locker room after the game, Kerr informed Thompson that he had changed his mind about retirement. According to the report, his wife later texted him the same conclusion.

“You’re not leaving,” the message read.

The revelation comes shortly after Golden State reportedly agreed to a two-year, $35 million extension with Kerr that made him the NBA’s highest-paid coach. Despite the Warriors eventually being eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament, the Clippers game ultimately convinced Kerr he still wanted to continue coaching.

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