Given that Steve Kerr is expected to retire from international coaching, two individuals have emerged as favourites to lead Team USA as head coach. Team USA is anticipated to “select between Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue,” according to Marc Stein via his Substack ($).Kerr is widely expected to retire from coaching international ball after helping lead Team USA to gold at the Paris Olympics. He began his coaching career with Team USA in 2020 as an assistant, winning a gold medal. He was then promoted to head coach and led the squad to a disappointing fourth-place finish at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Kerr did struggle with the rotation at times during the 2024 Olympics but he and his team were able to get the job done.The rest of the world put a lot of pressure on America as they continued to dominate with gold medals, and Team USA is starting a new chapter with LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant perhaps playing their final games for the squad.Although either selection would definitely make an excellent head coach for USA basketball in the future, Spoelstra’s is most likely the superior one. In the past ten years, Ty Lue, the coach of the Miami Heat, has played a significant role in building a fantastic culture, even though he is incredibly skilled at controlling egos and winning over celebrities.Regardless of who the United States selects to lead the team in 2028—Lue, Spoelstra, or someone else—LeBron James and Joel Embiid will probably need to leave the team, along with Steph Curry, Kevin Durant (both of whom will turn 40 in 28), and Anthony Davis (wear and tear).Given that the nation’s talent is presumably comparable to that of the other best basketball-playing nations in the world, the next coach will likely need to build a true tactical advantage.
