Erik Spoelstra will be next Team USA head coach
Team USA men’s basketball is set to move in a new direction with Erik Spoelstra expected to be hired as the next head coach.
Spoelstra will succeed Steve Kerr, who has held the role after it was passed down from Gregg Popovich, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The 2028 Olympics will mark the fourth straight time that Team USA will have a new head coach. Kerr had previously served as a top assistant to Popovich before taking over the head coaching role, which is the same transition that Spoelstra will undergo.
Spoelstra has a decorated coaching career that has seen him guide the Miami Heat to two NBA titles in six NBA Finals appearances. He is currently the longest-tenured head coach in the league, while he also holds the most wins in Heat history.
He is widely regarded as one of the league’s top coaches, who will now have another impressive notch in his coaching career.
Team USA is hoping to maintain its upward trajectory after claiming its fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics and 17th overall. The competition has become increasingly stiffer with Victor Wembanyama being the driving force for France for the foreseeable future.
The next iteration of the team for the 2028 Olympics could feature several familiar faces, such as the Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo, the Dallas Mavericks’ Anthony Davis, the Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker, and the Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum.
Want $250 to bet on NBA futures?
Meanwhile, Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant hasn’t ruled out one last Olympic go-around. Time will tell how the roster comes together.
