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Could Ty Lue Succeed Erik Spoelstra As Team USA Coach?

ESPN's Shams Charania's report of Erik Spoelstra taking over as Team USA head coach could be setting up Ty Lue for a similar move down the line

Liam Willerup

Jan 28, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra elbow bumps LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue after the game at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
Jan 28, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra elbow bumps LA Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue after the game at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
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With key members of Team USA's 2024 Olympic gold medal roster getting older and uncertain to return for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, the national team is beginning a new era, as ESPN's Shams Charania reported Thursday that Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is expected to be hired as Team USA's next men's basketball head coach.

Set to take over for Steve Kerr, who served as the team's head coach for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Spoelstra is the NBA's longest-tenured head coach and a two-time NBA Champion. After serving as the lead assistant for Kerr, Spoelstra will look to continue Team USA's run of dominance in the Olympics with some new faces expected on the 2028 roster.

If Team USA continues the trend they are on now, which is having a new head coach every cycle, then Team USA could be looking for a new coach when the 2032 Olympic roll around. If so, there's one coach who sticks out among the rest as a top candidate for the position.

Ty Lue's Case For Team USA

Looking at Team USA's coaching staff in 2024, it featured Kerr as head coach with Spoelstra, Tyronn Lue, and Mark Few as the team's assistants. Given that Spoelstra is expected to take on the head coaching role, that means Lue could be next in line, assuming he is retained on the Team USA coaching staff.

While Few could very well make his case to lead Team USA, similar to how Mike Krzyzewski did when he was coaching at Duke, Lue has compiled a strong resume early in his career and could very well add some more trophies to his collection by the time 2032 rolls around.

Lue played 11 years in the NBA before joining the Boston Celtics as an assistant coach in 2011 under Doc Rivers. He ended up following Rivers in his move to the Los Angeles Clippers, but left to serve as the lead assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014.

Lue would take over as interim head coach during the 2015-16 season when David Blatt was fired, leading the Cavaliers to an NBA title in a dramatic 3-1 comeback over the Golden State Warriors. Despite a pair of 50-win seasons, Lue was fired in 2018 after a 0-6 start, and ended up returning to the Clippers and eventually being promoted to head coach.

Lue is no stranger to working with stars, coaching the likes of Kyrie Irving, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and more. Given Team USA is filled with stars all across the league, they need a coach who can manage and lead those stars, and Lue seems like an ideal fit to take on that role if Spoelstra were to be replaced after the 2028 Olympics.

Even though Lue's case is compelling, it's important to note that he could be out of the race if Spoelstra either opts not to bring him back as an assistant or another coach, like Mark Daigneault or Joe Mazzulla, rises to the occasion.

However, assuming Lue continues coaching into the 2030s, he should have the leg up with his experience.

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Liam Willerup
LIAM WILLERUP

A 2024 graduate of the University of Miami, Liam spent several years covering the University’s football and basketball teams. An avid basketball fan, you can find Liam on X @theleftyliam where he’s constantly sharing his thoughtsg

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