The next time the United States men’s basketball team takes the court, it will most likely be with a new head coach, as 2024 Olympic gold medalist Steve Kerr is “not expected to continue” in the role, according to reports. Marc Stein, NBA reporter.
USA Basketball, as Stein notes, is considering two of Kerr’s assistants from the team’s gold medal run in Paris, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, as two potential candidates to replace them.
Kerr, who served as an assistant coach for the Americans at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, was named head coach of the United States men’s basketball team in December 2021, replacing San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich in the role.
Kerr led a United States basketball team that finished a disappointing fourth at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, though the group did manage to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Kerr, who was at times asked about his rotation decisionsand the Americans redeemed themselves by winning an Olympic gold medal for the fifth consecutive time.
The news that Kerr will not continue as the United States’ head coach is not particularly surprising, given that in November 2023 he said he intended to step down after the Paris Olympics.
With Spoelstra and Lue, who together won three NBA championships, USA Basketball has two experienced and respected coaches as replacement candidates.
Whether it’s Spoelstra, Lue or another coach, whoever is ultimately chosen will be tasked with putting together a new era of american basketball in a landscape where international rivals appear to be closing the talent gap.
