Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Gregg Popovich as the head coach of Team USA, league sources tell Marc Stein of Substack. Popovich, the Spurs‘ head coach, is stepping down from his position with USA Basketball following his team’s gold medal victory at the Tokyo Olympics.
USA Basketball is undergoing some changes this year, with Grant Hill recently succeeding Jerry Colangelo as the managing director of the program. Naming a new head coach is the first major move that Hill will have to make as part of his new role. He said earlier this month that he hopes to finalize the decision before the start of the NBA regular season on October 19.
As Stein writes, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is viewed as another strong candidate for Team USA’s head coaching position, but Kerr has more international experience, having served as an assistant to Popovich during the 2019 FIBA World Cup as well as the Tokyo Olympics. Spoelstra was involved in the lead-up to the Olympics as well, coaching the U.S. Select Team, but he wasn’t part of the group that traveled to Tokyo.
Kerr’s experience coaching several star players in Golden State and competing in five consecutive NBA Finals makes him a natural fit to manage Team USA’s star-studded rosters and to handle the pressure of international competitions. He also recently confirmed that he’d have interest in the job.
“Of course I’d be interested. I mean, who wouldn’t be? I’ll leave it at that,” Kerr told Tim Kawakami of The Athletic in August. “I have no idea how it will all transpire; there are a lot of great candidates out there. And if I were to be considered, that would be an honor.”
Players like him too makes a lot of sense
They need a coach who will understand international ball. Nba style doesn’t always work . Yes we win but we be so much better if we can work on a game more towards style the rest of the world pretty much plays
Surprised Pops is still coaching at his age. Must be tough being his age with all that pressure on him.
How about Nate McMillan?
As a Heat fan, I love Spo, but Kerr is the right choice here.
So is Spo.
They should consider Billy Donovan.
I would go Jay Wright here
Jay Wright was the correct choice.
How is it not Jay Wright here?
coach k since it’ll be part time compared to college?
It’s a tradition in Olympic sports in general, that whoever is the national team coach, will see DEcreased success in his/her regular job.
And so I would support the coach that I do not root for, which as a patriot is not a good reason!