Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra remains one of the most prominent leaders in the sport.
So it's no surprise at his latest achievement. Spoelstra was once again named to the coaching staff of the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team, this time as the head coach for the 2028 team. He will also be heading the 2027 World Cup.
"USA Basketball is expected to name Erik Spoelstra as the new head coach of the men's national team, sources tell ESPN," ESPN insider Shams Charania tweeted. "Spoelstra succeeds Steve Kerr for the next World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics after serving as a lead assistant on Team USA's 2024 gold medal squad."
Spoelstra will follow in the footsteps of Steve Kerr (2024), Gregg Popovich (2020), and Mike Krzyzewski (2016) to hold the position, adding to his historic career resume. Team USA took home the gold in the Paris Olympics after defeating France in the final. Spoelstra served as an assistant to Kerr in 2024.
The team featured veterans such as Steph Curry, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant, while featuring younger talent like Anthony Edwards and Bam Adebayo. As Spoelstra revamps his team for the international game, Curry and James will likely be out, but the majority of NBA talent should still be up for the competition.
And who better to man the fort than the longest-tenured active coach in the league? Spoelstra is among the best coaches in NBA history, accumulating two championships from six Finals appearances. From James and the Big Three to Jimmy Butler and the carousel of undrafted talent, Spoelstra has been the catalyst for the Heat's success. Despite recent first-round exits, he's kept Miami competitive in seasons that felt like they should have fallen way short.
Let's see if he has that magic once again. He and the Heat aim to get to the promised land in 2026 after an embarrassing first-round exit last season. The team re-signed standout guard Davion Mitchell and traded for veteran shooter Norman Powell. These additions, while slight, could have a drastic impact on a team seeking to truly compete in a weakened Eastern Conference.
The Heat are 0-3 thus far in the preseason, but the regular season is where the true product will shine. Hopefully, they will start to find some consistency and an offensive spark to elevate themselves to a true playoff team.