In a historic announcement made on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, USA Basketball confirmed that Erik Spoelstra, the longtime head coach of the Miami Heat, has been selected to lead the men's national team for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The appointment, which was approved by USA Basketball's board of directors, marks a new chapter for the program following Steve Kerr's successful tenure that culminated in a fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games.
Spoelstra, who has built one of the most impressive coaching resumes in the NBA with two championships and multiple Finals appearances with the Heat, expressed his profound gratitude for the opportunity. In an interview with The Associated Press, he called the appointment the honor of a lifetime, reflecting the magnitude of representing his country on basketball's biggest stage.
The selection of Spoelstra was a natural progression given his extensive experience with USA Basketball. He served as an assistant coach on Kerr's staff for both the 2023 World Cup in Manila and the 2024 Paris Olympics, gaining invaluable experience in international basketball and understanding the unique demands of representing the United States. Additionally, Spoelstra led the USA Men's Select Team in 2021, which trained alongside the national squad in preparation for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill, himself a former Olympic gold medalist, ultimately made the decision to offer Spoelstra the position. Hill's choice reflects confidence in Spoelstra's ability to maintain the program's unprecedented success while adapting to the evolving landscape of international basketball, where the gap between the United States and other nations continues to narrow.
The 2028 Los Angeles Olympics hold special significance for Spoelstra's appointment. He will become just the third coach in history to lead the U.S. men's basketball team at a home Olympics, joining legendary coaches Bob Knight, who captured gold in Los Angeles in 1984, and Lenny Wilkens, who did the same in Atlanta in 1996. This exclusive company underscores the trust USA Basketball has placed in Spoelstra to deliver gold medal performances on American soil.
Spoelstra also makes history as the first Miami Heat coach to lead the national team, adding another distinction to the Heat organization's proud basketball legacy. His appointment comes at a crucial time as USA Basketball looks to maintain its dominance while facing increasingly competitive international competition from nations like Serbia, Germany, Canada, and France.
As Spoelstra prepares for the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics, basketball fans worldwide will watch closely to see how he assembles his roster and implements his system with the world's best players wearing the red, white, and blue.
Basketball
Erik Spoelstra Named USA Basketball Head Coach for 2027 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics
📅 Published on October 16, 2025 at 12:07 AM
