The NBA may be best known for its high-flying dunks and nail-biting finishes, but a new survey is shining a spotlight on something entirely different. Which coaches do fans find the most attractive? From seasoned veterans to fresh faces on the sidelines, basketball fans across America are weighing in on who they’d most like to see on the cover of GQ and which head coach deserves the title of ultimate dad crush. The data, commissioned and collected by Casino.ca, surveyed 4,000 Americans about the sexiest NBA coaches, revealing some surprising results. While younger, media-savvy leaders made a strong impression, several longtime figures also ranked high, proving that charm and presence go a long way in the league.
According to Casino.ca, the results placed Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr firmly at the top, with 13.91% of the vote, narrowly edging out newly minted Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick, who scored 12.46%. Rounding out the top five were Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd with 5.94%, Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka with 5.80%, and Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra with 5.07%.
It’s no coincidence that Kerr’s victory comes as he celebrates a milestone birthday. With nine championships to his name, Kerr, who just turned 60, proves that he understood winning long before he ever taught it. His championship DNA was forged during his time with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, where he learned that greatness isn’t just about talent, even though that roster was loaded with it. It was about precision under impossible pressure.
Those three consecutive titles from 1996 to 1998 were Kerr’s basketball PhD program, shaping him into the leader he would later become. Who could forget the clutch three-pointer he drilled in the 1997 Finals against Utah, a series-clinching shot that showed his ability to thrive when everything was on the line.
Now, decades later, Kerr’s calm courtside demeanor, charisma, and championship pedigree make him the rare figure admired by Baby Boomers through Gen Z alike, cementing his reputation as the NBA’s biggest dad crush.
Beyond the top tier, several other familiar names made the rankings.
Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan, Boston Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla, and Philadelphia 76ers’ Nick Nurse each landed inside the top ten, with fan-favorite Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle also placing respectably. Even coaches without decades of recognition still captured some attention, such as Atlanta Hawks’ Quin Snyder at 3.19%. Meanwhile, New York Knicks coach Mike Brown and LA Clippers’ Tyronn Lue found themselves in the middle of the pack.
Back in March 2018, chest pains forced then-Cleveland Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue to take a leave of absence just two years after leading the team to its first NBA championship. Fast forward to his role with the LA Clippers, and Lue now faces the challenge of guiding one of the most talented rosters in franchise history to its first title.
By 2024, however, Lue says he’s in a much better place to handle the pressure. “It’s a tough season, a lot of stressing and pressures,” he told Andscape. “When you’re dealing with that, you get lazy. You don’t work out. You get fatigued. I just try to have a whole different slate and tried something different. It’s been good.”
At the other end of the spectrum, newer or lesser-known coaches like Memphis Grizzlies’ Tuomas Iisalo, who drew just 0.58% of the vote, and Washington Wizards’ Brian Keefe, who earned 0.72%, ranked at the bottom. Oklahoma City Thunder’s Mark Daigneault and Phoenix Suns’ Jordan Ott also landed in the lower tier with just over 1% each, showing that recognition and visibility likely played a role in how fans voted.
The results suggest that fan perception of NBA coaches isn’t just based on wins and losses. Age, personality, style, and even social media presence appear to influence which coaches fans find most attractive.
Kerr’s enduring charm demonstrates the staying power of an established veteran, while Redick’s rapid ascent to second place shows that younger, media-savvy coaches can quickly capture public admiration. Coaches like Spoelstra and Udoka fall somewhere in between, earning recognition for their presence both on and off the court.
The survey offers an interesting perspective on the NBA, and fans searching for terms like “Sexiest NBA Coaches 2025,” “Steve Kerr Dad Crush,” “JJ Redick Lakers coach appeal,” and “NBA coaches GQ cover poll” will find plenty to discuss.
Whether it’s Kerr’s approachable dad-next-door vibe, Redick’s smooth transition from television analyst to Lakers coach, or Spoelstra’s calm composure, it’s clear that NBA fans are paying attention to more than just X’s and O’s.