Coach Steve Kerr‘s tenure leading Team USA has been highly successful over the past few years. However, the Golden State Warriors coach has announced he will not continue at the helm of the U.S. national team, and two names have emerged as the leading candidates to replace him.
With the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympics and Team USA‘s gold medal victory, a glorious chapter comes to an end, marking the farewell of several key players from the U.S. national team.
Stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant are nearing the end of their careers, which means they will also be stepping away from representing the United States in upcoming official FIBA events.
It’s not just the players stepping down from Team USA; it has also been announced that head coach Steve Kerr will be leaving his position. The Warriors coach departs after leading the team to a commanding gold medal victory at the Paris Olympics.
Head coach Steve Kerr of Team United States reacts during a Men’s basketball quarterfinal game between Team United States and Team Brazil on day eleven of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Bercy Arena on August 06, 2024 in Paris, France.
The immediate goal for the leadership now is to find a replacement, as the 2028 Olympics are on the horizon and will be held in Los Angeles, right on U.S. soil.
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The potential replacements for Kerr
With the aim of preparing for upcoming FIBA commitments, the leadership will seek to find a replacement for the successful Steve Kerr as quickly as possible.
According to The Stein Line Substack account, there are two potential candidates to succeed Kerr as head coach. Interestingly, both have previous experience in such roles.
The first candidate is none other than Erik Spoelstra, the current head coach of the Miami Heat and also a gold medal winner in Paris. The other is Tyronn Lue, head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and a former assistant to Kerr at the recent Olympics.
Assistant coaches Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue and head coach Steve Kerr of the 2023 USA Basketball Men’s National Team talk at a practice session during the team’s training camp at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV as the team gets ready for the FIBA Men’s Basketball World Cup on August 03, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What’s next for Team USA?
The next head coach of Team USA will face the challenging task of maintaining the team’s high standards, but this time without stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, or Stephen Curry.
Nonetheless, with the focus shifting to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, a wealth of top-tier NBA players could be available if they choose to participate. Notable names like Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and Devin Booker are poised to continue the legacy left by the previous generation.
