After leading Team USA to Olympic triumph in Paris, Steve Kerr has ended his tenure as head coach of the American national team.
Now, with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, the search for his successor has begun. Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, who served as Kerr’s assistants in recent years, are emerging as the top contenders to take the helm of Team USA. And one of them is surely expected to take the job
KERR’S TENURE: HIGHS AND LOWS
Steve Kerr’s time as head coach of Team USA was marked by a mix of disappointment and triumph. A crushing fourth-place finish in 2023, during the World Cup held in Japan and the Philippines, left fans stunned and empty-handed. However, Kerr redeemed himself in spectacular fashion by delivering Olympic gold in Paris.
The unforgettable moments shared alongside basketball legends like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and his longtime star Steph Curry will forever be etched in his memory—and in the hearts of fans around the globe.
HOW TEAM USA SELECTS A HEAD COACH
Traditionally, the successor for the Team USA head coach role comes from the pool of assistant coaches who served under the outgoing leader. Steve Kerr himself followed this path, having been an assistant to Gregg Popovich during both the disappointing 2019 FIBA World Cup and the triumphant Olympic victory in Tokyo two years later.
Now, as Kerr steps down, it’s highly likely that his replacement will come from his own coaching staff, continuing the established succession pattern.
KERR’S COACHING STAFF
Supporting Steve Kerr on the sidelines in Paris were three accomplished names in basketball. Mark Few, the legendary Gonzaga coach, represented American college basketball; Erik Spoelstra, a two-time NBA champion with the Miami Heat; and Tyronn Lue, who led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their historic 2016 title and currently coaches the Los Angeles Clippers.
A TWO-MAN RACE
As Grant Hill, head of the Team USA program, prepares to make a decision, one thing is clear: the competition for the head coach position is between two strong candidates. Considering their impressive résumés and the expectations tied to this prestigious role, Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue have emerged as the frontrunners.
While there’s no rush to decide, given the time available before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the race for one of the most coveted coaching positions in basketball has undeniably begun.
