When the talks around Steve Kerr not leading the 2025 USA men’s national team first occurred, all eyes naturally turned inwards, and Erik Spoelstra quickly emerged as the frontrunner. Choosing a coach who has lived and thrived in the NBA offers a unique advantage for a challenging role as guiding Team USA through the next World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.

On October 1, Kerr addressed his own situation with the Golden State Warriors, emphasizing that he is perfectly content coaching in a contract year. “I’m very comfortable just going into this season with a year left. I’m so aligned with Mike and Joe… Let’s just see how it is at the end of the year,” Kerr said. Now, it seems he knew why he was so content. The torch has been transferred to skilled hands.

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is set to become the new head coach of the men’s national team for the USA, per ESPN. Spoelstra is to succeed Steve Kerr, ultimately leading Team USA through the next FIBA World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. He has previously served as lead assistant during the 2024 gold medal run in Paris. Widely respected for his tactical brilliance and player development, Spoelstra’s promotion signals fresh energy for the program as the U.S. aims to maintain its global dominance on home soil in 2028.

Erik Spoelstra has been the head coach of the Miami Heat since 2008. He’s one of the longest-tenured coaches in the NBA with a decorated résumé that includes two NBA championships (2012, 2013), six Finals appearances, and a reputation for elite player development and defensive discipline.

Spoelstra is already carrying a legacy with him, and now his next challenge will be translating his experience into gold with Team USA. He will also lead the team at the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar. He has been tasked with maintaining the U.S.’s dominance on the international stage. The 54-year-old veteran’s Basketball journey started back in 1995 with the Miami Heat as a video coordinator. Now 30 years in, he will not only be representing the USA internationally, but he will be the driving force behind the team.

But it is not new for him. Back in July 2021, he served as the head coach of the USA Select Team, which trained with and competed against the eventual 2020 Olympic gold medalists in Tokyo. This provided him with an early taste of international competition.

By December 2021, Spoelstra was named assistant coach for the 2022-24 national team cycle under Steve Kerr, joining forces with Tyronn Lue of the Clippers and Gonzaga’s Mark Few. From the start, Spoelstra made clear he would serve in whatever capacity was needed. “It was such an intense, gratifying core memory. It was so much fun…It was an iconic team,” Spoelstra had shared about his selection last November, according to The Miami Herald. “Those are life core memories. It was an incredible life experience. It was just a great basketball experience. You know, and the coaching staff, we got along really well. We’re on a text chain that we’re still texting today.” 

Will this be the final season for Steve Kerr with the Warriors?

The Golden State Warriors enter a pivotal year under Steve Kerr. With a 567-308 regular-season record and having guided the team to five straight NBA Finals, Steve surely knows his way around the team he helped build. The same team that won its first championship in 40 years following the 2014-15 season. Kerr’s focus still remains on chasing another title. “I’m not the slightest bit concerned about it. I don’t think about it,” he said. “I just think it makes perfect sense for all of us. I’ve said this before, however, this ends its going to be done in a really quality way. It’s going to happen the right way. If it’s meant to be for me to keep going, then I’m going to keep going, and if it’s meant to be for the team to move on to somebody else, there will be nothing but gratitude and appreciation. So this makes it easy for everybody.”

Yet the speculations suggest that Kerr might choose to extend his one-year contract to continue with the team veterans and finish the streak on a high note. “I think I’m very comfortable with the players. I know they respect me. We have a great collaboration. Love working with Mike, love working with this whole organization,” Kerr had expressed. “I’m lucky to coach the group of guys that I’ve been able to coach….So I don’t spend a lot of time reflecting on the last 11 years, but I do embrace the fact that I get to do this every day. I’m very lucky.” With the latest preseason opener win against the Lakers on October 5, Kerr has surely prepared the team well while leaving his long-term decision in the hands of the organization and the natural course of the season.