Steve Kerr was officially introduced as the next USA men’s basketball head coach by men’s national team managing director Grant Hill Monday at Chase Center.
Kerr succeeds mentor and close friend Gregg Popovich, and will lead the United States over the next Olympic cycle that includes the 2024 Paris Summer Games. He will be joined by Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams and Gonzaga coach Mark Few – who round out his staff as assistants.
“I love every second of every day preparing to coach basketball,” Kerr said. “It’s a dream job. It doesn’t get much better than being the coach of the USA basketball team. I’m thrilled.”
Kerr served as an assistant on Popovich’s staff this past summer as Team USA won its fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal.
“The experience I’ve had over the last few summers has just been an incredible basketball and life experience,” Kerr said. “To coach with Pop, to experience both the World Cup and the Olympics, it’s a really unique situation. It’s a unique environment. It’s basically a six-week sprint where you get the players together and you get the coaching staff together and you gotta figure out a way how to win pretty quickly.
“I think back to this past summer in Tokyo, winning the gold medal. Doing so with a group of players and coaches, we will share that bond for life. I think the same thing that attracts players to want to play for the national team, is what attracts coaches.”
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Hill said Kerr emerged as his “No. 1 choice” following months of interviewing candidates this year.
“Because of a unique set of experiences, I think his basketball acumen,” Hill said, “I think I can go down the list of reasons we all know. Steve was the guy.”
Kerr is currently leading the Warriors to a 24-6 record after winning three titles with five NBA Finals appearances in his first seven years at the helm of Golden State. Kerr said he couldn’t imagine having the opportunity to coach Team USA without the help of his Warriors players.
“Steph [Curry], Draymond [Green], Andre [Iguodala], Klay [Thompson] – down the list,” Kerr said. “Those are the guys responsible for me sitting here. Because you don’t reach this level unless you have success and you don’t have success unless you have players. So I want to thank the Warriors and thank all of our players.”
While Green won a gold medal with Kerr in Tokyo, Curry has never suited up for Team USA in the Olympics and will be 36 by the time the 2024 Summer Games roll around. But Kerr said he’d obviously love to have Steph on his team in Paris.
"If Steph is healthy and wants to play, I'm pretty sure I can convince Grant [Hill] and [national team director] Sean [Ford] to put him on the roster,” Kerr said. “It would be wonderful, but you never know how this thing is going to play out. A lot of time between now and then.”
Olympic qualifications will take place from August to September 2023, when the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia will jointly host the FIBA World Cup.
