Duke Reportedly Focusing on Kara Lawson for Women's Basketball Coaching Job
Duke is reportedly negotiating with current Boston Celtics assistant coach Kara Lawson to be the next coach of the Blue Devils’ women’s basketball team.
Several media outlets, including the News & Observer and ESPN, have identified Lawson as Duke’s top target in the search to replace Joanne McCallie, who resigned last week instead of entering the final year of her contract. Former coach Gail Goestenkors was eliminated as a candidate by the school, according to reports by ESPN.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who has been Lawson’s boss since hiring her in 2019, was asked about her status during a conference call on Friday.
"I've been asked not to comment on that,” he said. “I mean, everybody knows what I think of Kara. She's unbelievable. When I can comment on it, I will."
The 39-year-old Lawson is from Arlington, Virginia and played for Pat Summit at Tennessee, going to the Final Four three times. She then played 13 years in the WNBA for Sacramento, Connecticut and Washington. She won a WNBA title in 2005 and was an All-Star in 2007. She also won a gold medal with Team USA at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Lawson coached 3-on-3 youth teams for Team USA before joining the Celtics a year ago and becoming the fourth female assistant in the NBA. If Duke hires her, she’d become the first African-American coach in the program’s history.
Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca, who had two sons walk on for Duke’s men’s team, is a member of Duke’s Board of Trustees. The News & Observer reported that he pushed for the women’s team to hire Lawson.
