Kara Lawson has been named the next head coach of the United States women's basketball team. Lawson was an assistant coach on the 2024 team and won gold as a player in the 2008 Olympics. Lawson is currently also the head coach of Duke.
"To win a gold medal as a player was amazing, and one of the earliest goals that I set out when I was young," Lawson told ESPN. "I think that is what drives you because you know how great that feels and you want the players you coach to experience that. You get to have this permanent memory in your sport and so the goal is to try to help them create that for themselves at the different world events."
Lawson replaces Cheryl Reeve as head coach.
Lawson was chosen for this position by Sue Bird, the Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Famer who was named the first managing director of the USA Basketball women's national team in May.