Inside The Heat

Will Miami Heat's Erik Spoelstra Coach Men's Olympic Team in Los Angeles in 2028?

According to a social media post from a national NBA writer for Forbes, Steve Kerr is contemplating retirement from the U,.S. Olympic Team. Should that happen, rumors are already circulating Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra will take over the program.

Scott Salomon

Jul 28, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; USA basketball assistant coach Erik Spoelstra before a game against Serbia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 28, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; USA basketball assistant coach Erik Spoelstra before a game against Serbia during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

According to an item posted on social media by a national NBA reporter, rumors are abound Steve Kerr is considering stepping down as the coach of the U.S. Olympic team.

Should that occur, the same post indicates Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra would be next in line to take over the storied program.

Evan Sidery, who is national NBA writer for Forbes magazine, speculates Kerr is considering resigning to concentrate on coaching the Golden State Warriors. In the event it happens, Spoelstra, who has served as one of Kerr's assistants in Paris, is rumored to be the assistant who gets promoted.

Kerr’s appointed Spoelstra to the USA coaching staff in Dec. 2021 after Spoelstra coached the 2021 Select team which trained and practiced with Team USA ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Spoelstra has also won two NBA titles with the Miami Heat in six trips to the FInals.

"Erik Spoelstra is viewed as the strong internal favorite to become Team USA's next in line following Gregg Popovich and Kerr," Sidery said.

Team USA, winners of the last five gold medals, automatically qualifies for the 2028 Olympic games as the host country, The games are taking place in Los Angeles. Should Kerr step down in short order, Spoelstra could be in line to coach the Team USA at the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at sas@southfloridamedianetwork.com

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Scott Salomon

SCOTT SALOMON

Scott Salomon joined FanNation on Sports Illustrated in April 2024 covering breaking news and analysis for the Miami Dolphins channel. In June he joined Inside the Heat and Back in the Day NBA. Scott is based in South Florida and has been covering the local and national sports scene for 35 years. Scott has covered and has been credentialed for the Super Bowl, the NFL Combine, various Orange Bowls and college football championship games. Scott was also credentialed for the NBA All-Star game and covered the Miami Heat during their first six seasons for USA TODAY. Scott is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Communication and the St. Thomas University School of Law. Scott has two sons and his hobbies include watching sports on television and binge watching shows on various streaming services. Twitter: @ScottSalomonNFL