Kara Lawson has been appointed the new head coach of the USA Basketball women’s national team, a role she will hold through the 2028 Olympic cycle. Lawson, a former standout player for Team USA and the current head coach at Duke University, will succeed Cheryl Reeve, who led the U.S. to gold medals in both the 2022 FIBA World Cup and the upcoming 2024 Olympics.
Lawson’s involvement with USA Basketball dates back to her teenage years. At 17, she was part of the World Youth Games in 1998, followed by participation at the World University Games in 2001. She later represented the U.S. at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Her coaching career with USA Basketball began in the 3×3 format, where she guided the team to its first Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021.
The decision to appoint Lawson was made by her former Olympic teammate Sue Bird, now the managing director of the national team. Bird praised Lawson’s leadership, competitive edge, and basketball acumen, qualities that have earned her respect throughout her career.
Lawson steps into a role filled with great expectations. The women’s national team has been a powerhouse, securing victory in 10 of the 13 Olympic tournaments and winning eight of the last 10 FIBA World Cups. Lawson acknowledges the legacy she inherits and expresses her readiness to face the forthcoming challenges. She emphasizes the necessity of building solid relationships with players to maintain the high standards expected of USA Basketball.
As she takes on this role, Lawson will need to appoint a new team of assistant coaches, replacing herself and Mike Thibault, who has moved on to coach Team Belgium. While the U.S. continues to be a dominant force, the international landscape is evolving, with rival teams improving rapidly and international talents in the WNBA raising the level of competition.
Lawson’s ascension to this role reflects a lineage that traces back to her mentor, the late Pat Summitt. Summitt, who was also Lawson’s college coach at Tennessee, was the first person to both play for and coach the U.S. women’s national team at the Olympics. Lawson is determined to build on this legacy, inspiring future generations to uphold the tradition of excellence.
Amidst an increasingly competitive international basketball scene, Lawson acknowledges the complexities of maintaining Team USA’s supremacy. However, she remains optimistic and driven, stating that achieving meaningful success requires tackling challenges head-on. With young American stars poised to potentially join the national team, Lawson looks forward to guiding the next era of USA Basketball, aiming to uphold its storied history and continue its tradition of winning.