With Gregg Popovich continuing to serve as head coach of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team through the 2020 Summer Olympics, one of the rumored candidates to replace him is Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski had colleague Brian Windhorst on his podcast “The Woj Pod” to discuss a number of basketball-related issues. One of those was who would eventually be in line to replace Popovich, who remains the head coach of the San Antonio Spurs.
After mentioning Golden State head coach Steve Kerr and Boston head coach Brad Stevens as possibilities, Wojnarowski then said at around the 5:03 mark:
“I know another coach that they did consider as a and I think would have some interest in being a part of it … is Erik Spoelstra from Miami, who has won two championships. Shouldn’t he be involved, potentially, in USA Basketball?”
Windhorst also endorsed Spoelstra at around the 6:10:
“Erik Spoelstra is a guy who has championship rings, a very good, very, very well respected within the NBA and now the second-longest tenured coach after Pop (Popovich) and not going anywhere. So, Erik Spoelstra to me would be a very strong name.”
Spoelstra won his two championships with the Heat in 2012 and 2013, part of a four-year run in which the team reached the NBA Finals each season. He was appointed head coach of the team on Apr. 28, 2008, and entering Monday night’s contest, has compiled a regular season record of 487-322 (.602).
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