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Kara Lawson Named Head Coach of USA Women’s National Team Through 2028

Bird’s first major hire centralizes decision-making, setting a 2026 World Cup path toward a home Olympics against stronger international competition.

Overview

  • USA Basketball announced Lawson will lead the U.S. at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
  • Managing director Sue Bird selected Lawson, and the USA Basketball Board of Directors approved the choice, marking a shift from past committee-driven selections.
  • Lawson will continue as Duke’s head coach, creating potential calendar conflicts around a March World Cup qualifier and underscoring the need to build a complementary national-team staff.
  • Her USA Basketball résumé includes 2008 Olympic gold as a player, 2024 Olympic gold as an assistant, Tokyo 3x3 gold as head coach, and the 2025 AmeriCup title as head coach.
  • She succeeds Cheryl Reeve with the U.S. seeking a record-extending ninth straight Olympic gold, and she becomes the second Black woman to serve as Olympic head coach for the program.