Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr has been officially named head of the United States, replacing Gregg Popovich, the American Basketball Federation announced on Monday.
“Kerr will lead the United States national team from 2022 to 2024 as coach,” said USA Basketball in a statement, confirming information relayed in the press earlier this month.
Triple NBA champion at the head of the Warriors (2015, 2017 and 2018), Steve Kerr was already the assistant to his predecessor Gregg Popovich, whose departure was already confirmed after the Olympic coronation in Tokyo.
“Our goal, of course, is to win and to make our country proud. We will work hard for that,” responded Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate in Chicago.
Two major events await him: the 2023 World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, where Team USA will try to regain the world title lost in 2019 following the elimination in the quarterfinals against France. ; then will come the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 where they will have to defend their gold medal won in Japan. Two tournaments for which the United States have yet to formally qualify.
To assist him, Steve Kerr will have as assistant the coach of the Miami Heat Erik Spoelstra, that of the Phoenix Suns Monty Williams and that of the university team of Gonzaga Mark Few.
“I could not ask for a better group of people to help me lead the national team,” said the new manager quoted in the statement.
He succeeds the historic San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, who headed the national team after the 2016 Olympics and crowned Olympic champion with Kevin Durant’s gang this summer in Japan.
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