Warriors’ Kerr takes over for Popovich as Team USA men’s basketball coach
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr named Team USA men's basketball
head coach
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA – DECEMBER 4: San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg
Popovich and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr greet each
other before the start of a NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
>SAN FRANCISCO, CA – DECEMBER 4: San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg
Popovich and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr greet each
other before the start of a NBA game at Chase Center in San Francisco,
Calif., on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
By SHAYNA RUBIN | srubin@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: December 20, 2021 at 12:11 p.m. | UPDATED: December 21, 2021
at 4:38 a.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2021/12/20/warriors-steve-kerr-named-u-s-mens-basketball-head-coach/

SAN FRANCISCO — Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr can add
another line to his extensive resume. Kerr was formally announced as the
next head coach of the U.S. men’s basketball team on Monday, taking over
for mentor Gregg Popovich.

Kerr said he was surprised and got chills when USA Basketball Men’s
National Team managing director Grant Hill officially offered him the
job over the phone. The eight-time NBA champion (five as a player, three
as a coach) will be the 16th head coach to take the US men’s team to the
Olympics.

“It is truly humbling. People say that all the time, but this is truly
humbling when I think about how few coaches have ever had this
opportunity to be a coach of the Olympic team and USA basketball and how
many amazing candidates there are out there,” Kerr said at Chase Center
on Monday. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and I can’t wait to work
with all these guys.”

Kerr will be at the helm at least through the next Olympic cycle,
leading the American national team to the 2023 Basketball World Cup and
2024 Paris Olympics, provided Team USA qualifies. Kerr was part of
Popovich’s staff for Team USA’s arduous gold medal run at the 2020 Tokyo
Olympics this summer.

“Sometimes I look back at my career and wonder how it all happened,”
Kerr said, doling out praise to the coaches he’s worked with throughout
his career as mentors, including his coach at Arizona Lute Olson and NBA
coaches Lenny Wilkens and Phil Jackson. “I’ve had amazing people who
guided me and somehow the path continues and I’m not going to stop and
think about it too much because I’ll wonder how it happened.”

Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, Phoenix Suns head coach Monty
Williams and Gonzaga coach Mark Few will join Kerr’s staff as assistant
coaches with Team USA.

“It’s an incredible staff, great experience and coach Kerr is someone
who has had success at all levels throughout his basketball journey,”
Hill said of the decision to hire Kerr, adding Kerr’s five NBA titles as
a player, three as a head coach and experience on national team staffs
qualified him plenty for the role.

Hill recently replaced Jerry Colangelo as USA Basketball Men’s National
Team managing director. He played for the Suns from 2007 to 2012, during
Kerr’s tenure as general manager in Phoenix.

“In my opinion, basketball people would agree he is the ideal candidate
for the US national men’s team,” Hill said.

The 2023 World Cup is first up on the horizon for Kerr as Team USA
coach, which means he’ll need to start putting together a roster.
Experiencing the whirlwind of Olympic competition, Kerr said he
understands and can prepare for the challenges that come with developing
a team within a six-week sprint — much more challenging than the several
months that go into coaching and crafting an NBA team.

>RELATED ARTICLES
COVID Sports report: Sharks, NHL returning to action, but more game
cancellations, protocol absences
Warriors’ ascent to top of NBA reveals new championship DNA
What will Warriors’ lineup look like if Draymond Green misses games?
Draymond Green becomes fifth Warriors player to enter health and
safety protocols, per report
Short-handed Warriors lean on Curry, Porter Jr. to stun the Suns on
Christmas Day

“Can’t do that in six weeks, so you have to be clear and concise about
what you’re teaching and why and you have to get right to it,” Kerr
said. “Ultimately, it’s the ability and talent of the players that get
it done or not. It’s our job as coaches to put them in the best position
to succeed.”

Time spent as a player, assistant and friend to Popovich has helped
prepare him.

“Having played for him for four seasons and the opportunity to work with
him, I learned so much about the game and people and culture,” he said.
“A lot of what we do at Golden State is what I learned from Pop. But one
thing he taught me is you have to be yourself. You can’t be anyone else,
you have to be yourself.”

--
Shayna Rubin | Oakland Athletics reporter