Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is expected to be named the new lead coach of the United States’ men’s basketball team, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN.
According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, a deal between Spoelstra and USA Basketball has not yet been finalized, but Miami’s longtime coach is the frontrunner for the job to succeed Steve Kerr.
As Reynolds writes, Spoelstra was an assistant on Kerr’s staff at both the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics in Paris. The Americans finished in fourth place at the World Cup, but won their fifth consecutive gold medal at the Olympics.
Assuming Spoelstra finalizes a contract with USA Basketball, he would lead the U.S. at the 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, Reynolds notes.
After Gregg Popovich stepped down as coach of the Spurs in the spring, Spoelstra became the longest-tenured head coach in the NBA by a significant margin. The 54-year-old is entering his 18th season as head coach of the Heat, compiling a 787-572 regular season record (.579 win percentage) and 110-83 mark in the playoffs (.570).
Spoelstra has led Miami to six NBA Finals appearances during his time at the helm, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.
Spoelstra has been widely viewed as one of the top coaches in the league for years, so the news isn’t surprising. Still, it’s a significant accomplishment — Spoelstra told The Associated Press after last year’s Olympics that he “would be honored” to be the top coach of the men’s national team.