2017 NBCA Coach of the Year Named US National Team Head Coach
Heat head coach and future Hall of Famer Erik Spoelstra will officially succeed Steve Kerr as the head coach for the U.S. Men’s national basketball team. Spoelstra, rumored as one of the frontrunners to replace Kerr alongside Tyronn Lue, will now be in charge of assembling a team for the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He brings experience and a ton of expertise, as he was named a top 15 all-time head coach back in 2022. NBA Insider Shams Charania broke the news around noon today, which came as no one’s surprise.
Spoelstra will have some big shoes to fill. In this role, he follows the lustrous lineage of coach Kerr, four-time NBA champion, Gregg Popovich, considered by many as the greatest head coach ever, and Mike Krzyzewski, record holder for most career wins in D1 basketball with Duke, to name a few. However, Spoelstra is no stranger to success. He has won three NBA championships, two as a head coach and one as an assistant under Pat Riley for the Heat. He also currently holds the title of longest-tenured coach in the league, following Popovich’s retirement after last season.
This now marks back-to-back coaching cycles where Team USA has promoted an assistant coach from the previous staff. Kerr served under Popovich as an assistant during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and was handed the reins in 2021. During last year’s Olympics, Spoelstra served as one of Kerr’s advisors, which led to a gold medal for the United States. This refreshing achievement meant a ton for the entire organization, following a disappointing fourth-place finish in the 2023 World Cup.
Miami’s conductor will bring a perhaps slightly different identity than the previous team. He was voted as the best defensive coach in a survey among NBA general managers, earning that accolade just last year. Since he took over as head coach of the Heat in 2008, only two of his teams have been in the bottom half in defensive rating. A lot will linger on what players will make themselves available for the next two competitions in a few years, but regardless of the roster, Spoelstra’s identity remains. This marks the beginning of a new era, but USA fanatics should remain optimistic about staying at the top step of the basketball world with coach Spo.
