Steve Kerr’s first foray at the helm of an Olympic basketball team was a successful one, with the Warriors boss leading the US men’s national team to glory at the 2024 Games.
It was not an easy road for the Americans. Nikola Jokic’s Serbia and Victor Wembanyama’s France proved to be formidable opponents, highlighting the wealth of talent that exists around the world.
In the end, though, Kerr’s team was too strong. Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant formed a terrifying triple threat, doing just enough to propel Team USA to Olympic glory.
Curry, James and Durant appear to be on the verge of leaving the U.S. pool when the upcoming Summer Olympics begin. Kerr could very well follow in the footsteps of his standout trio, as there are rumors that the 58-year-old will leave the U.S. national team.
If so, one would have to imagine there would be a queue of strategists lining up to replace him, especially with the next edition of the Summer Games scheduled to take place in the sunny confines of Los Angeles.
What does USA Basketball’s Olympic future look like? Here’s what we know so far.
Will Steve Kerr be at the next Olympics?
All signs seem to point to Kerr not coaching the Americans in 2028. Forbes’ Evan Sidery reported that Kerr is likely to step down from his international career, which would mean a new boss for the men’s basketball team at the Los Angeles Games.
Steve Kerr is likely to retire as head coach of Team USA, meaning a new leading voice by 2028 in Los Angeles.
Erik Spoelstra is seen as the strong internal favorite to become next in line for Team USA after Gregg Popovich and Kerr. image.twitter.com/njYm4I8Cfx
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) August 11, 2024
That report was later published Confirmed again by Mark Steinwho said Kerr is “not expected to continue” as coach of Team USA.
Kerr made several compelling decisions during the 2024 tournament, including benching Celtics supernova Jayson Tatum and 76ers standout Joel Embiid at different points during the competition. His decisions drew plenty of criticism, particularly from those who have a similar disposition to New England.
In the end, though, everything worked out for the four-time NBA champion, and his team fought its way through the mire of competitive teams to take home its fifth consecutive Olympic title.
If Kerr were to retire as the team’s coach, it seems very possible that his replacement could emerge from the USA Basketball network. Between Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, the Americans are loaded with international experience. Given the standing of both coaches (Spoelstra and Lue are two of the best tacticians in the game), they seem like solid candidates for the job.
USA Basketball general manager Grant Hill has been open about his desire to cultivate a pipeline for the program, for both players and coaches. Spoelstra and Lue, both members of Kerr’s staff during the 2023 World Cup and, now, the 2024 Olympics, would fit right into that ideology.
Hill and company have some time to make a decision on the future of the program’s head coaching position; after all, they’re still in celebration mode.
But his best bet for setting the team up for future success might be inside the company, as he wants it to be.
