NBA Champions Kerr and Nash Reflect on a Decade as Co-owners of LaLiga’s Mallorca
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Phoenix, Ariz., Jan. 22, 2026 — Steve Kerr remembers the phone call clearly. In August 2023, former Wimbledon semifinalist Andy Kohlberg asked the Golden State Warriors coach if he wanted to buy a stake in RCD Mallorca. “It was a no-brainer,” Kerr told ESPN as the two sat near Camelback Mountain at sunrise. Although the sport was soccer, not basketball, the nine-time NBA champion quickly agreed.
The Ownership Group
Kerr joined an existing circle of athletes turned investors: two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash, former U.S. international Stu Holden and Kohlberg, who is Mallorca’s president. The quartet originally partnered with then-Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver when they acquired the Spanish club for $23.86 million in January 2016. Kohlberg purchased Sarver’s shares last June and is now majority shareholder.
From Segunda Trouble to LaLiga Stability
When the Americans arrived, Mallorca were near the bottom of Spain’s second tier. Over the next decade the team endured two relegations and three promotions, including a spell in the third division. Mallorca are currently in their fifth consecutive LaLiga season, having finished 16th, 9th, 15th and 10th in the previous four campaigns. A surprise run to the 2024 Copa del Rey final highlighted the period, even though the club fell short of lifting the trophy.
Why Mallorca
With a resident population of roughly one million and an estimated 16 million annual visitors, the Balearic island struck the group as a unique growth market. “A gem,” Nash said. Earlier attempts to buy an English Championship side were abandoned when prices climbed too high.
Cross-Sport Connections
Nash grew up in a soccer household in Canada and still plays recreationally. Holden, long-time friends with Nash, jokes that the point-guard could have been a professional midfielder. Kerr’s link to the game began later; he follows Liverpool closely after meeting Mohamed Salah and former manager Jürgen Klopp. The three believe lessons from basketball and tennis translate easily to football in areas such as team culture and communication.
Running a Club Like Athletes
The owners say their playing experience guides how they lead. They avoid locker-room interference but speak to Mallorca’s squad occasionally, sometimes inviting other athletes—such as sumo grand champion Hakuho—into the dressing room. Kohlberg argues that successful coaches in any sport share core qualities: clarity, connection and the ability to foster a collective goal.
Balancing Business and Community
The group is renovating Mallorca’s Son Moix stadium but maintains low-priced tickets—some as inexpensive as €10—to preserve the club’s local roots. Kerr contrasts that with U.S. arenas, where rising costs have pushed out middle-income fans. Conversely, the owners admire European soccer’s promotion-relegation system and the weekly stakes it creates.
The Road Ahead
Mallorca enter the Jan. 25 league match at Atlético Madrid three spots and two points above the relegation line. Kohlberg hopes to stabilize the side inside LaLiga’s top 10, while Nash emphasizes that the investment is long-term. “We’re not looking to flip this,” he said. After 10 years, the former athletes say co-ownership keeps them close to competition—without having to lace up themselves.
Source: ESPN
