Who is coaching the USA men's Olympic basketball team?

Who is coaching the USA men's Olympic basketball team?

Lenah Ann
June 27, 2024 at 12:09 PM
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The USA has some of the best basketball players in the NBA. Since 1936, the USA men's basketball team has participated in the Olympic competition. The USA will look for its 17th gold medal in the 2024 edition in Paris, France. So, who is coaching the USA men's Olympic basketball team? Let us find out.

L-R Steve Kerr, Gregg Popovich and Mike Krzyzewski
L-R Steve Kerr on 14 April 2024, Gregg Popovich during a match on 2 April 2024 and Mike Krzyzewski on 2 April 2022. Photo: Ezra Shaw, Matthew Stockman, Jamie Squire. (Modified by author)
Source: Getty Images

Table of Сontents:

Over the years, several great basketball coaches have managed the USA national squad to the Olympics and international competitions. These coaches have made history by bagging gold medals and dominating the global stage. Steve Kerr will lead the current generation in Paris.

All Team USA men's Olympic basketball coaches

According to various online sources, such as FlippingBook and NBC Olympics, here is a list of all Team USA basketball head coaches detailing their records and the locations of the various Olympics events.

Year

Head coach

Record

Location

1936

James Needles

5-0

Berlin, Germany

1948

Omar Browning

8-0

London, England

1952

Warren Womble

8-0

Helsinki, Finland

1956

Gerald Tucker

8-0

Melbourne, Australia

1960

Pete Newell

8-0

Rome, Italy

1964

Henry Iba

9-0

Tokyo, Japan

1968

Henry Iba

9-0

Mexico City, Mexico

1972

Henry Iba

8-0

Munich, West Germany

1980

Dave Gavitt

Not competed

Moscow, Soviet Union

1984

Bob Knight

8-0

Los Angeles, California

1988

John Thompson

7-1

Seoul, South Korea

1992

Chuck Daly

8-0

Barcelona, Spain

1996

Lenny Wilkens

8-0

Atlanta, Georgia

2000

Rudy Tomjanovich

8-0

Sydney, Australia

2004

Larry Brown

5-3

Athens, Greece

2008

Mike Krzyzewski

8-0

Beijing, China

2012

Mike Krzyzewski

8-0

London, England

2016

Mike Krzyzewski

8-0

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2021

Gregg Popovich

5-1

Tokyo, Japan

2024

Steve Kerr

-

Paris, France

10. Dave Gavitt

Dave Gavitt pictured sitting at scorer's table
Former Big East commissioner Dave Gavitt pictured sitting at scorer's table during a college basketball match on 16 February 1983. Photo: Jerry Wachter
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 1980
  • Assistant coach(es): Donald Rowe
  • Location: Moscow, Soviet Union
  • Team: Providence College

Dave Gavitt was one of the greatest Team USA basketball head coaches from Providence University. He was in charge of the American squad during the 1980 Olympics tournament, and even though they did not compete, he made history as the first commissioner of the Big East Conference.

9. Bob Knight

Bob Knight of the Texas Tech Red Raiders yells during a game
Head coach Bob Knight of the Texas Tech Red Raiders yells during a game against the Texas Longhorns on 25 January 2005. Photo: Ronald Martinez
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 1984
  • Assistant coach(es): Don Donoher
  • Location: Los Angeles, California
  • Team: Indiana University

Bob Knight was a great basketball legend who led the 1984 USA squad to the Olympics. He won a gold medal alongside his assistant, Don Donoher, from the University of Dayton.

8. John Thompson

John Thompson III of the Georgetown Hoyas watches the game
Former head coach John Thompson III of the Georgetown Hoyas watches the game against the Maryland Terrapins on 15 November 2016. Photo: G Fiume
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 1988
  • Assistant coach(s): Mary Fenlon, George Raveling
  • Location: Seoul, South Korea
  • Team: Georgetown University

John Thompson led the Hoyas to the NCAA Division I national title, making him the first African-American head coach to win a significant collegiate basketball championship. He was named the 1988 USA squad coach at the Seoul Olympics for his numerous basketball feats.

7. Chuck Daly

Former Detroit Pistons head coach Chuck Daly
Former Detroit Pistons head coach Chuck Daly looks on during an NBA basketball game circa 1991. Photo: Focus on Sport
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 1992
  • Assistant coach(es): Lenny Wilkens
  • Location: Barcelona, Spain
  • Team: New Jersey Nets

Chuck Daly was renowned for his achievements. He led the Detroit Pistons to two consecutive NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. He also led the 1992 USA men's squad to win the gold medal at the event, per Sporting News. His assistant coach was Lenny Wilkens from the Cleveland Cavaliers.

6. Lenny Wilkens

Lenny Wilkens, a former coach of the 1979 Seattle Supersonics basketball team
Lenny Wilkens, a former coach of the 1979 Seattle Supersonics basketball team, acknowledges the crowd before a game on 1 June 2019. Photo: Stephen Brashear
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 1996
  • Assistant coach(es): Bobby Cremins, Clem Haskins
  • Location: Atlanta, Georgia
  • Team: Atlanta Hawks

Before being appointed the 1996 head coach, Lenny Wilkens was the Team USA basketball assistant coach during the 1992 Olympic event. During his term as the USA squad head coach, he won a gold medal with an 8-0 record.

5. Rudy Tomjanovich

former USA men's basketball Olympics coach Rudy Tomjanovich
Co-grand marshal and former USA men's basketball Olympics coach Rudy Tomjanovich attends the 2023 H-E-B Thanksgiving Day Parade on 23 November 2023. Photo: Marcus Ingram
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 2000
  • Assistant coach(es): Larry Brown, Gene Keady, Tubby Smith
  • Location: Sydney, Australia
  • Team: Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets legend Rudy Tomjanovich was among the best Team USA basketball head coaches in history. During the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he led the United States squad to a gold medal with the help of his assistants Larry Brown, Gene Keady and Tubby Smith of the Philadelphia 76ers, Purdue University, and the University of Kentucky, respectively.

4. Larry Brown

Larry Brown, former head coach of Fiat Torino Auxilium
Larry Brown, former head coach of Fiat Torino Auxilium, gestures during the EuroCup 7Days basketball match on 21 November 2018. Photo: Nicolò Campo
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 2004
  • Assistant coach(es): Gregg Popovich, Oliver Purnell, Roy Williams
  • Location: Athens, Greece
  • Team: Detroit Pistons

Larry Brown was the 2001 NBA coach of the Year and the 2004 NBA champion. He was appointed the head coach of the United States squad, and he brought home a bronze medal with a record of 5-3. He was part of Team USA's 1964 Summer Olympics squad that won a gold medal.

3. Mike Krzyzewski

Former Duke Men's Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski
Former Duke Men's Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski looks on before Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs on 20 April 2022. Photo: Maddie Meyer
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 2008, 2012, 2016
  • Assistant coach(es): Tom Thibodeau, Jim Boeheim, Monty Williams, Mike D'Antoni
  • Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; London, England; Beijing, China
  • Team: Duke University

Mike Krzyzewski and Henry Iba are the only head coaches appointed to manage the USA squad three times, per USA Basketball. Mike, a Duke University legend, has won three gold medals at three consecutive Olympic events and has an 8-0 record.

2. Gregg Popovich

Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs gives instructions
Head coach Gregg Popovich of the San Antonio Spurs gives instructions to his team during the first half of an NBA In-Season Tournament game on 14 November 2023. Photo: Joshua Gateley
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 2021
  • Assistant coach(es): Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce, Jay Wright
  • Location: Tokyo, Japan
  • Team: San Antonio Spurs

Gregg Popovich is a five-time NBA champion and a three-time NBA Coach of the Year. He led the United States men's team to their most recent gold medal with a record of 5-1. His assistants were Steve Kerr, Lloyd Pierce, and Jay Wright.

1. Steve Kerr

Head coach Steve Kerr reacts during a match
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr reacts during the first half against the Dallas Mavericks on 5 April 2024. Photo: Sam Hodde
Source: Getty Images
  • Year: 2024
  • Assistant coach(es): Mark Few, Tyronn Lue, Erik Spoelstra
  • Location: Paris, France
  • Team: Golden State Warriors

Who coaches the USA Olympic basketball team? Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, a nine-time NBA champion, coaches the 2024 USA Paris squad. He is no stranger to the sport, having served as an assistant from 2017 to 2021.

Frequently asked question

Since their debut in basketball, the Americans have been dominating the sport. Over the years, they have grown stronger and commanded the Olympics. Here are some frequently asked questions about Team USA basketball head coaches.

How many championships did Steve Kerr win as a coach?

The renowned USA basketball coach has four championships, which he bagged in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. He also enjoys featuring in a streak of five consecutive NBA finals, which he achieved in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019.

Who were the coaches for the USA Basketball team in 2012?

The 2012 USA men's basketball team was coached by Mike Krzyzewski and assisted by Jim Boeheim, Mike D'Antoni, and Portland Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan.

What was the best USA basketball team?

The 1992 USA Olympic basketball team is ranked best in USA history. The squad won each Olympic match with an average of 44 points and had some of the greatest players in history, such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

Who is the all-time leading scorer for Team USA basketball?

Kevin Durant is the all-time leading scorer for Team USA basketball. He achieved this impressive feat in 2012, 2016, and 2020. His other achievements include being the MVP of the 2010 FIBA and holding the record for the third-most career Olympic rebounds with 118.

Who scored the most points in Olympic basketball history?

Brazilian basketball player Oscar Schmidt holds the record with 1,093 points, the highest total points in Olympic FIBA history. He played in five Olympics from 1980 to 1996.

Final word

Who is coaching the USA men's Olympic basketball team? Steve Kerr will lead the team to the 2024 Games in Paris. The Americans will go for their fifth consecutive gold medal.

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Authors
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Lenah Ann
Lenah Ann is a Kenyan-based content creator with 2 years of experience. She graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Mass Media and Communication from Dedan Kimathi, Kenya in 2021.