Report: Team USA choosing between 2 options to succeed Steve Kerr as coach

Jan 18, 2020; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stands on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

One way or the other, it appears that Steve Kerr will be getting succeeded by a fellow NBA champion head coach.

Veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein wrote this weekend on his Substack page that USA Basketball is expected to choose either Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra or LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue to replace Kerr. The Golden State Warriors head coach Kerr isn’t expected to continue as Team USA’s head coach after having served in the position since Dec. 2021.

Spoelstra, 53, and Lue, 47, were each assistant coaches on Kerr’s staff at the Paris Olympics this summer as Team USA won the gold medal. The former became an NBA head coach in 2008 and has been to seven conference finals and six NBA Finals (with championship wins in 2012 and 2013). The latter became an NBA head coach in 2016 and has made it to four conference finals and three NBA Finals (with a championship win in 2016).

Team USA cannot go wrong with either of those options as both are highly-regarded tacticians with vast experience managing superstar egos as well. As for which of the two may possess the early edge, we might have a good idea of that much already.