Steve Kerr not expected to return as USA Basketball head coach: report
It seems one gold medal in the Olympics as head coach is all USA Basketball’s Steve Kerr wants to see, as he’s reportedly not expected to continue with the men’s team.
NBA reporter Marc Stein reports that Kerr is done leading the USA, the winners of gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Stein adds that Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, or Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue, is expected to replace Kerr, who had both on his staff in Paris.
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Kerr has been a part of Team USA since 2016, when the Golden State Warriors head coach joined legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich’s staff for USA Basketball.
Team USA would secure gold that year and the following Olympics in Toyko in 2021. Kerr would, then, take over as head coach after Popovich stepped down following the gold-medal victory.
In 2023, Kerr’s leadership was questioned by some after finishing fourth in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
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But this year’s performance at the Paris Olympics saw Team USA fight back against Serbia to reach the gold medal game, where they would eventually defeat host country France in thrilling fashion.
During the 2024 Olympics, Kerr was criticized for benching players like Jayson Tatum and Joel Embiid, both players who have been featured in the NBA’s first-team All-Pro, for the entirety of some contests. He even called himself an idiot after leaving Tatum out of Team USA’s first game in Paris.
However, with a star-studded roster that included Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant and more, Kerr had to make some tough choices along with his coaching staff to divvy out playing time based on matchups.
No matter the critiques, Team USA went 6-0 in Paris, winning the country its fifth consecutive gold medal in the Olympics.
Whoever USA Basketball chooses as Kerr’s replacement will likely be the head coach leading the squad into Los Angeles in 2028.
Spoelstra makes for an experienced candidate considering his 750-527 career record as head coach in the NBA with the Miami Heat for the past 17 seasons. He has also led his team to six NBA Finals, which includes three victories with back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013.
Spoelstra is also of the Popovich coaching tree, which could go a long way for USA Basketball.
As for Lue, he has a slightly better career record at 312-217, having coached the Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers. Lue’s squad, which featured James and Kyrie Irving among others, defeated Kerr and the Warriors in the legendary 2016 NBA Finals when the Cavs were down three games to one before coming back to win it all.
Kerr will continue coaching the Warriors, but he will step aside to allow another coach to lead Team USA in the future.
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