"EXACTLY ONE HOUR before the tipoff of the gold medal game last summer in Paris, when Olympic rules dictated players could come onto the court for warmups, an unlikely duo was the first to hit the floor. Erik Spoelstra and LeBron James, all business, worked through their pregame routine, Team USA's assistant coach putting the player through the paces. It was a common sight all summer, Spoelstra and James working together individually,"
"'Moments like those are a testament to what USA Basketball is all about,' Spoelstra told ESPN. 'No matter what friction or misunderstandings you may have had in the NBA, it all gets moved aside because you have the same goal.' Spoelstra is known for his obsessive nature, but especially so when it comes to what he refers to as the 'purity' of competition."
Erik Spoelstra will serve as head coach of Team USA, leading the national program through the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Spoelstra brings 17 years of experience as head coach of the Miami Heat and a coaching philosophy centered on the 'purity' of competition. Spoelstra and LeBron James developed a collaborative pregame routine during the Paris Olympics, setting aside past NBA friction to focus on shared goals. Spoelstra advanced through USA Basketball ranks, including coaching the Select Team during a COVID-limited 2021 training camp that helped prepare the national team for Tokyo. The appointment formalizes his role as national-team leader.
Read at ESPN.com
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