Steve Kerr doesn’t plan to coach Team USA beyond the 2024 Olympics, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Kerr intends to follow the same path as Gregg Popovich, guiding the U.S. team through the World Cup and the Olympic Games before turning over the reins to someone else.
“To me, it’s a two-year; it’s a cycle,” Kerr said. “Pop coached a World Cup and the Olympics, now it’s my turn to pass the baton. I think that’s kind of how it should be. Frankly, it’s a huge commitment too. I guess I think it was different the last go-around with Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) and Jerry (Colangelo), when they were really establishing this culture and this system where guys had to commit for a couple years. Made sense for Coach K to stay on. But I think where we are now, one cycle and you move on.”
Kerr, who played for the gold-medal-winning American team in the 1986 world championships, signed on as a coach in 2019, serving as an assistant to Popovich as the U.S. finished seventh in the World Cup. He remained on the staff for the Olympics in 2021, when Team USA picked up its fourth straight gold.
Kerr took over as head coach for this year’s World Cup, which saw the Americans drop three of their final four games for a fourth-place finish. The performance was disappointing, but it still qualified the U.S. for the Olympics next summer.
Vardon notes that candidates to replace Kerr who are currently on the Team USA staff include Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga coach Mark Few. The next World Cup will be played in Qatar in 2027, followed by the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
Prominent players such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker and Joel Embiid have already expressed a desire to represent the United States in the 2024 Games. Kerr told Vardon that he hasn’t had an “in-depth conversation” about the possibility yet with Curry because they’re both focused on the Warriors’ season.
The process of selecting the 12-man team for next summer is just beginning, Vardon adds. Kerr admits that USA Basketball can’t turn down players with the status of James, Durant and Curry, but the amount of available talent is bound to lead to difficult decisions. Vardon notes that Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green are among the other All-Stars who have expressed interest in joining the team.
Kerr said USA Basketball officials will begin sorting through their options “over the next couple of months.” There’s no set date to form a preliminary roster, but they want to let players know fairly soon whether they’re being considered.
“You want everybody excited about the prospect (of playing for Team USA); that’s the first sign of, hey, we’re taking this really seriously. A lot of guys are dying to play. Obviously, (USAB managing director Grant Hill) has to lead the way in terms of building our strategy, and we haven’t made any decisions,” Kerr said. “It’s highly likely that guys who want to play may not be … whether it’s established guys or guys who have been with us and guys who just played and played really well this last go-around, no matter how you slice it, you can only take 12, so it’s very, very difficult, and it’s a painful process because, you know, you get really attached to guys.”
I like it, give other guys an opportunity to represent the USA. It’s a selfish unselfish move. Like he said it’s a lot of work, so selfishly hes getting that time back once he steps down. But again opening the door for someone else to step up.
I agree should give a opportunity to another coach each 4 years so other coaches have the opportunity. Eric Spoelstra should get it next.
One of the biggest reasons Team USA has always been underperforming in the World Cup is because there’s so little coaching and staff consistency. They just take an NBA coach and plug him into the role, whereas pretty much every other country has a dedicated coaching staff that works year-round to set up for the next one. It’s why Team USA always looks so disorganized on the floor.
I’m sure Kerr is excited about the idea of coaching Steph in the Olympics, but no way would he want to do another cycle of the World Cup and a team of talented young players after Ingram basically quit the team the final week of the tournament and JJJ and Banchero clearly tuned him out.
Ingram and 3 other players got terribly sick there at the end too in that article … surprised there wasn’t a blurb in the summary up above.
He should step down now so they’ll have a chance to win gold. He was terrible in the FIBA world cup. Spoelstra should’ve been the coach.
Amen
Not sure he was terrible but rather the roster construction was a bit off.
Honestly if all the stars come out for the Olympics, it really shouldn’t be an issue. Especially if Lebron/Steph/KD/Tatum/Embiid are playing (this would be an amazing starting 5).
Best place to convince Joël to join the GSW…
Not soon enough. He should have resigned right after the World Cup. He wasn’t up to coaching a basketball team outside of the narrow confines of the NBA and its modified game. USA BB (under Grant Hill) is really the one to blame though. Kerr just accepted the job like he would a trophy.
International basketball is a different sport…
Committing to constant changes is a way to ensure drama for the World cup… The USA will always struggle in that tournement with a new coach establishing their methods…
Would give the World Cup higher viewership as it provides the Cup with no clear favourite before its starts…
Why do they go with all the big names? Give a newcomer a shot. Kerry has overstayed his welcome…