Red Kerr
1967 NBA Coach of the Year | First Chicago Bulls Head Coach | First Phoenix Suns Head Coach
John Graham “Red” Kerr was born on July 17, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois. An All-Star NBA center and 1955 champion with the Syracuse Nationals, he retired as a player to become the first head coach of the expansion Chicago Bulls in 1966.
Kerr led the first-year Bulls to the 1967 playoffs and earned NBA Coach of the Year honors. He then became the first head coach of another expansion team, the Phoenix Suns, in 1968.
His two NBA coaching appointments produced a 93-190 regular-season record. Kerr later became a familiar Chicago Bulls television broadcaster and franchise ambassador.
He died on February 26, 2009, at the age of 76.
- Overall Coaching Record: 93-190
Coaching Career
Kerr was hired to lead the new Bulls in May 1966. Chicago finished 33-48 in 1966-1967, qualified for the playoffs in its first NBA season and earned Kerr the Coach of the Year award.
The Bulls lost to St. Louis in the 1967 Western Division semifinals. They returned to the playoffs in 1967-1968 with a 29-53 record and were eliminated by Los Angeles.
After two seasons in Chicago, Kerr departed with a 62-101 regular-season record to take the Phoenix expansion coaching job.
Notable Players Coached
- Jerry Sloan
- Hall of Fame coach and two-time NBA All-Star guard
- Guy Rodgers
- Four-time NBA All-Star and league assists leader
- Bob Boozer
- NBA All-Star forward and future 1971 champion
Kerr became the Suns’ inaugural coach for the 1968-1969 expansion season. Phoenix finished 16-66, then opened the 1969-1970 schedule with a 15-23 mark under him.
He was replaced by Jerry Colangelo in January 1970. His Phoenix head-coaching record was 31-89 across 120 games, completing his 93-190 NBA career mark.
The 1969-1970 Phoenix roster included Connie Hawkins, Gail Goodrich and Dick Van Arsdale, but the Suns’ eventual postseason run that year came after Kerr’s departure.
Notable Players Coached
- Dick Van Arsdale
- Three-time NBA All-Star, known as the Original Sun
- Gail Goodrich
- Hall of Fame guard and five-time NBA All-Star
- Connie Hawkins
- Hall of Fame forward and 1970 All-NBA First Team member