COLORADO SPRINGS (USA) - USA Basketball have opted to continue placing their trust in triple Olympic gold medalist and FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2025 winning coach Kara Lawson who will remain at the helm through 2028.
Lawson topped the podium as a player at Beijing 2008 and then guided USA to 3x3 glory as head coach at Tokyo 2020. She then picked up gold as assistant to Cheryl Reeve at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup 2022 and also at Paris 2024, before delivering yet again when appointed to lead at the FIBA Women's AmeriCup 2025.
Ensuring that USA took the title and with an unbeaten record, Lawson will now remain in the hot-seat and oversee her nation's bid to defend their FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup crown. The showpiece event will take place in Berlin, Germany between September 4 to 13 with USA looking to wrap up a fantastic fifth title in a row.
“I am honored to be selected as the head coach of the Women’s National Team for this cycle,” Lawson stated in a USA Basketball press release. “I want to thank Sue Bird, General Dempsey and the USA Basketball Board of Directors, Jim Tooley and Briana Gould for this tremendous opportunity. “I will work tirelessly to uphold the standards of this storied program. There is no greater honor in our sport than to be chosen to lead the U.S. women in world competition. I understand the responsibility and the challenges that lie ahead. I look forward to meeting them head on.
No greater honor in our sport than to be chose to lead the U.S. Women in world competition
“This has been something I’ve worked towards for a long time. I’m thankful to all of the players that I’ve had the opportunity to coach and all of the coaches I’ve learned from. There is nothing more important than pushing this group to reach its potential. I can’t wait to get started!”
“I am so excited to welcome Kara Lawson as the next head coach of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team,” USA Basketball Women’s National Team managing director Sue Bird said. “Having shared the court with her, I know firsthand the leadership, competitive spirit and basketball IQ that she brings. Kara has always had the respect of her teammates and her players, something she has earned and demonstrated over decades with USA Basketball as a player, 3x3 coach and assistant coach. I can’t wait to work with her and continue to build on the tradition of excellence that USA Basketball stands for.”
“Kara has been involved with USA Basketball dating back to 1998 as a high school player in the World Youth Games,” added USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley. “Her international basketball experience is extensive, including 13 gold medals. To say her journey with us has been impressive is an understatement. I’m excited to watch Kara and Sue work together to deliver success at the World Cup in Berlin next fall and at the Olympic Games in L.A. in 2028.”
Like those before her, the new head coach will have an incredibly deep talent pool at her disposal. She will be able to call upon the likes of big-hitters such as Breanna Stewart and A'ja Wilson, while many will be hoping that superstar Caitlin Clark could be about to make her major tournament debut at the senior level. Lawson was at Boston Celtics in 2019-2020 and became the first female assistant coach in franchise history before she took up her post with Duke. Last season she took the Blue Devils to a 29-8 record, securing the program’s highest win total in over a decade and locking down a spot in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. She has also won a stack of other coaching medals with USA down the years and will now look to add to her increasingly impressive legacy.
Kara Lawson's USA Basketball Coaching Record
Event and Team | Role | Record | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
2025 FIBA Women's AmeriCup | Head Coach | 7-0 | 1st |
2024 Olympic Games | Assistant Coach | 6-0 | 1st |
2024 Women's National Team Training Camp and Exhibitions | Assistant Coach | 2-0 | - |
2022 FIBA Basketball World Cup | Assistant Coach | 8-0 | 1st |
2020 Olympic Games (3x3) | Head Coach | 8-1 | 1st |
2021 FIBA 3x3 Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament | Head Coach | 6-0 | 1st |
2021 3x3 Women's National Team Exhibitions (Big Twelve Invitational) | Head Coach | 6-1 | 1st |
2019 Women's Pan American Games (3x3) | Head Coach | 7-0 | 1st |
2019 Men's Pan American Games (3x3) | Head Coach | 4-3 | 1st |
2019 FIBA 3x3 Women's U18 World Cup | Head Coach | 7-0 | 1st |
2019 FIBA 3x3 Men's U18 World Cup | Head Coach | 7-0 | 1st |
2018 Women's Youth Olympic Games (3x3) | Head Coach | 7-0 | 1st |
2017 FIBA 3x3 Women's U18 World Cup | Head Coach | 7-0 | 1st |
FIBA