For his debut as Team USA coach, Steve Kerr relies on a very high quality staff with two former NBA champions (Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue), and a legend of university coaching (Mark Few). For its high-quality technicians, it is a question of showing humility and accepting to take on the role of assistant to lead exercises, count missed shots or make video. For Erik Spoelstra, in place since 2008 at the Heat, this is a first in 15 years!
“It’s really nice to be part of a team and a program”assures the Miami coach. “When you come together for Team USA, it’s about collaborating and coming together for a common goal, in the space of six weeks, to try and win a gold medal. You put everything else aside and you are only there to serve. Sometimes that means sacrifice, but it’s mostly about serving each other, serving the players, serving the program, and coming together to hopefully do something unique.”
Spoelstra had already set foot in selection, since in 2021, Gregg Popovich had asked him to take care of the Select Team which served as “sparring partner” for Team USA before going to the Tokyo Olympics. It was there that he rubbed shoulders with Steve Kerr, then assistant to Coach Pop’, but it never went any further.
“I had never had a meal with one of them” confirms Kerr. “I always felt their imprint on their team when we played them, and there was always a lot of admiration and respect. But we limited ourselves to a “hello” before and after the matches. »
Tyronn Lue impresses with his quick-wittedness
In terms of organization, Kerr has left the Attack part to himself, and it is mainly Lue and Spoelstra who are in charge of the defensive systems. This does not prevent having debates, and even disagreements. “We don’t agree, but in a good way,” says Kerr. “We are all throwing around ideas and debating different things. That’s one of the most interesting things, one of the funniest things when you get into a debate and everybody disagrees, because that’s when basketball things really stand out and you’re debating the pros and cons of this or that way of doing things. »
Listening to Spoelstra, the most impressive in these discussions is none other than Lue, whom he compares to a hero from the Numb3rs series or the one from the film Will Hunting. Basically, it’s a mug! ” The things we read and hear about Ty are real”, testifies Spoelstra. ” He’s like that guy in the movie, who writes (formulas) on the walls… he’s Ty. It’s funny. I really like discussing basketball with him, because there’s the traditional way of thinking, and he can do that, but there’s also the unconventional way of thinking, of solving problems. Ty is also very sociable. I could never be.”
“Steve and Spo are the two best coaches in the NBA, and Spo does the scouting. Players should see this. He won two titles and he sacrifices himself.
Compliments returned to him by Lue, impressed by the energy of the Miami coach and his work of “scouting” opponents.
“When Steve and Spo talk, they order the locker room”Lue tells The Athletic. “The guys are really focused and attentive. Steve is more laid back. Spo is more energetic. When Spo speaks, he is more energetic, more like ‘come on, let’s go!’. And Spo does scouting, which he hasn’t done for 15 years, I bet. Steve and Spo are the two best coaches in the NBA, and Spo does the scouting. Players should see this. He has won two titles and he sacrifices himself, he does scouting, he leads exercises…”.
For Kerr, the key to a good staff is sacrifice, but also relationships and communication. “From day one until now, we’ve been totally comfortable with each other. We laugh together, and it’s like we’ve been together for years. It happened very quickly. » So much the better because the competition starts in four days!
