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Steve Kerr, Nate McMillan and Jay Wright will be Gregg Popovich‘s assistant coaches with the U.S. men’s basketball team for its Tokyo 2020 Olympic run.

Kerr, who coached the Golden State Warriors to three of the last four NBA titles, was cut from 1988 Olympic consideration when the tryout pool was cut to 21 players, the last team before the NBA began participating in the Olympics. Kerr had just finished his career at the University of Arizona and was about to start a 15-season NBA career that would include five titles (the last two playing for Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs).

He was also on the 1986 World Championship-winning team in Madrid, the last American men’s senior team composed strictly of amateur players to capture a gold medal.

McMillan, the Indiana Pacers head coach, was an assistant on Mike Krzyzewski‘s staff at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

Wright, who coached Villanova to two of the last three NCAA titles, coached Team USA at the 2005 World University Games and 2007 Pan American Games.

The U.S. men’s basketball team, which has won 25 straight Olympic games and the last three gold medals. Its first opportunity to qualify for Tokyo 2020 at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, though it still must qualify for that world tournament.

The 2016 Olympic assistants for Krzyzewski were Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Tom Thibodeau and former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Monty Williams.

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MORE: Who is the world’s best female basketball player?</s>Steve Kerr and Jay Wright will be assistant coaches for the U.S. national basketball team, putting the coaches of the NBA and NCAA championship teams on Gregg Popovich’s staff.

Nate McMillan will be the other assistant, USA Basketball announced Thursday.

The trio of coaches will work with Popovich in the 2019 Basketball World Cup and 2020 Olympics, assuming the Americans qualify for both events.

Kerr has led Golden State to two straight and three of the last four NBA championships. Wright guided Villanova to the 2016 and 2018 NCAA titles. McMillan worked on Mike Krzyzewski’s staff from 2006-12, when the Americans won two Olympic gold medals and the 2010 world championship.

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USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo says the Americans have assembled “an incredible coaching staff.”

The defending champion Americans are closing in on qualifying for the 2019 worlds in China, which will serve as a qualifier for the 2020 Olympics.

Kerr played for the U.S. in the 1986 world championships, the last gold medal won by a U.S. senior men’s team composed strictly of amateurs. He won two of his five NBA titles playing for Popovich in San Antonio. They have remained close and are among the NBA’s most outspoken coaches.

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, left, and Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr visit before a game on Nov. 2. (Eric Gay / Associated Press)

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“I had the good fortune to participate in our USA Basketball program as an amateur and to have the chance to return to the world stage three decades later and work under Pop, one of my former coaches and a mentor, is a tremendous honor,” Kerr said.

Wright has worked with multiple USA Basketball teams, including as an assistant to Popovich in 2016 with the select team of players that trained with the Olympic team that won gold in Rio de Janeiro.

McMillan led the Indiana Pacers to the playoffs last season. He was part of Krzyzewski’s staff that included Mike D’Antoni and Jim Boeheim.

“My previous experience I figured to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and now I’ve been blessed again,” McMillan said.</s>Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr has been named an assistant coach on the 2019-20 USA Basketball Men’s National Team, it was announced today. Kerr, along with Indiana Pacers Head Coach Nate McMillan and Villanova University Head Coach Jay Wright, join the staff of USA and San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich to complete the USA National Team coaching staff. The coaches will lead the USA National Team in 2019-20, which, if the USA qualifies, could include the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China (Aug. 31-Sept. 15, 2019) and the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (July 24-Aug. 9, 2020).

"This is an incredible opportunity and one I’m extremely grateful for," said Kerr. "I had the good fortune to participate in our USA Basketball program as an amateur, and to have the chance to return to the world stage three decades later and work under Pop, one of my former coaches and a mentor, is a tremendous honor. I also look forward to working with Nate and Jay, two dynamic and highly-successful coaches, as we together embrace the opportunity to represent our country and attempt to ultimately bring home the gold."

"I am honored and fortunate to have such gifted coaches share this USA Basketball responsibility with me," said Popovich. "Steve Kerr, Nate McMillan and Jay Wright are not just knowledgeable, dedicated individuals, but they exhibit the creativity, tenacity and respect for the game needed to compete in the international arena. I look forward to joining them as USA Basketball attempts to extend the stellar success they've enjoyed over the past 12 years."

Entering his fifth season as an NBA head coach in 2018-19, Kerr has guided the Golden State Warriors to three NBA championships, four-consecutive NBA Finals appearances, the NBA’s single-season mark for wins (73 in 2015-16), the NBA’s best single-season playoff record (16-1), which included a playoff-record 15-game win streak to begin the 2017 NBA Playoffs, an NBA Coach of the Year award in 2015-16 and the three winningest seasons in franchise history. In his four seasons as the Warriors head coach, Golden State has compiled a 265-63 regular season record (.808 winning percentage), while compiling a 63-20 record (.759) in the NBA Playoffs.

Kerr, who won five NBA championships during a 15-year playing career, now owns eight championships as a player and coach, joining a list of those with multiple titles as both player and coach that includes Phil Jackson (two player/11 coach), KC Jones (eight player/two coach), Tommy Heinsohn (eight player/two coach) and Bill Russell (11 player/two coach). Kerr is just the third coach in NBA history to win three championships in his first four seasons at the helm, joining Phil Jackson (1991, 1992, 1993) and John Kundla (1949, 1950, 1952) as the only coaches to do so.

Kerr was a member of the USA Basketball team that captured the 1986 World Championship title in Madrid, the last American men’s senior team composed strictly of amateur players to capture a gold medal. A finalist for the 1988 U.S. Olympic Basketball Team, Kerr was also a member of the 1988 USA Select Team that finished 6-0 during a European tour.

"Led by coach Popovich, we have assembled an incredible coaching staff for the USA National Team, and we are excited to have Steve Kerr, Nate McMillan and Jay Wright join the team as assistant coaches," said Jerry Colangelo, who has served as the managing director of USA Basketball Men’s National Team program since 2005. "It’s special that each coach has prior USA Basketball experience as either a player or coach, and each coach has compiled a successful and impressive resume. I’m very confident that the USA Basketball National Team is in excellent hands the next two years."

Since the formation of USA Basketball’s National Team program in 2005, USA Men’s National Teams have compiled a spectacular 88-1 record and claimed top honors in six of seven FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions (through 2016 Olympics). Currently, the USA National Team enjoys a 76-game win streak (53 straight wins in FIBA and FIBA Americas competitions, and 23 consecutive wins in exhibition games). The USA men have won three-straight Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012 and 2016) and, for the first time ever, back-to-back FIBA World Cup gold medals (2010 and 2014). Since first fielding a team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball national teams featuring NBA players have claimed gold medals in 14 of 17 international basketball competitions and compiled a 134-7 record in those official events, while also posting a record of 51-1 in exhibition games.</s>If Klay Thompson has any say, the Golden State Warriors won't be limited to making history within the confines of the United States.

Speaking to ESPN.com's Nick Friedell on Thursday, Thompson said it would be "awesome" if the Warriors could become the first team to have five players on a Team USA roster when the United States men's basketball team heads to Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

"That would be awesome," he said. "I don't know if that's ever happened in the history of the NBA, so that would be awesome. It gets me excited just thinking about it."

Specifically, Thompson was referring to the possibility of lining up on the international stage alongside Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and DeMarcus Cousins. 



The only member of that group who wasn't with Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro was Curry, who withdrew his name from consideration to focus on his health.

In that regard, it's hardly far-fetched to figure those five could crack the American roster in two years.

The big question is if all five of those players are still on the Warriors, especially with Cousins signed to a one-year prove-it deal and Durant able to opt out of the final year of his contract and test free agency again next summer.

Thompson's comments followed an announcement that Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich had added Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Indiana Pacers head coach Nate McMillan and Villanova head coach Jay Wright to his staff for the 2020 games.</s>Gregg Popovich's main task at hand right now is trying to navigate what will be a tricky season for his San Antonio Spurs. Not only did they swing a blockbuster trade in the summer that sent out Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green in exchange for DeMar DeRozan and Jakob Poeltl, but he's just lost two key backcourt pieces to serious knee injuries. Lonnie Walker IV should be back in a couple of months, but starting point guard Dejounte Murray is out for the season with a torn ACL.

But while the Spurs are his first priority, Popovich does have another job -- head coach of Team USA. The legendary coach took over the national team program from Mike Krzyzewski after the 2016 Olympics, and will soon oversee his first major tournament in charge.

Ahead of potentially the 2019 FIBA World Cup and 2020 Olympics -- Team USA still has to qualify for both events -- Popovich has added three key members to his coaching staff. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Pacers head coach Nate McMillan and Villanova head coach Jay Wright will join Popovich on the bench in the coming years. Via USA Basketball:

The USA Basketball Men's National Team coaching staff today was finalized with the announcement that NBA head coaches Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) and Nate McMillan and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright have been selected as assistant coaches for the 2019-20 USA Basketball Men's National Team. Kerr, McMillan and Wright join USA and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich to complete USA National Team coaching staff. The coaches will lead the USA National Team in 2019-20, which, if the USA qualifies, could include the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China (Aug. 31-Sept. 15, 2019) and the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan (July 24-Aug. 9).

While they will be blessed with the most talented roster in the world, Popovich and Co. will have plenty of pressure to continue the country's incredible run of success. Currently on a 76-game winning streak, Team USA has won the last three Olympic gold medals, as well as the past two FIBA World Cups.</s>Gregg Popovich has assembled quite a braintrust for his first two marquee events as coach of the U.S. men's national team.

USA Basketball announced Thursday that Steve Kerr, Nate McMillan and Jay Wright will serve as assistant coaches for 2019-20, which will include next year's FIBA World Cup and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Popovich is in his first Olympic cycle as the U.S. head coach after taking over for Mike Krzyzewski. The Spurs coach has a longstanding relationship with Kerr, who was a point guard on San Antonio's NBA championship teams in 1999 and 2003. Kerr has led the Warriors to three NBA titles in his four years as a head coach.

"This is an incredible opportunity and one I'm extremely grateful for," Kerr said in a release. "I had the good fortune to participate in our USA Basketball program as an amateur, and to have the chance to return to the world stage three decades later and work under Pop, one of my former coaches and a mentor, is a tremendous honor. I also look forward to working with Nate and Jay, two dynamic and highly successful coaches, as we together embrace the opportunity to represent our country and attempt to ultimately bring home the gold."

McMillan was an assistant under Krzyzewski at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics and is entering his third season as Pacers head coach after previous stints leading Portland and Seattle.

"I'm honored and thrilled to be with USA Basketball and the National Team again," McMillan said. "My previous experience I figured to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and now I've been blessed again. I look forward to working with Coach Popovich and a great group of players."

Wright has led Villanova to two of the last three NCAA titles and is entering his 18th season at the school. He has had a variety of coaching stints with USA Basketball, but has never been on an Olympic staff.

" It is a great honor to represent our country and to represent USA Basketball," Wright said. "It's also a privilege to work under Pop and alongside Steve and Nate. I have great respect for all three of them. This will be the opportunity of a lifetime."</s>Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will add a second gig in 2019 and 2020 when he replaces Mike Krzyzewski as the head coach of USA Basketball in the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China and the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan. Popovich added a trio of new staff members on Thursday morning with Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, Pacers head coach Nate McMilan and Villanove head coach Jay Wright as assistant coaches.

"Led by coach Popovich, we have assembled an incredible coaching staff for the USA National Team, and we are excited to have Steve Kerr, Nate McMillan and Jay Wright join the team as assistant coaches," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said in a statement. "It’s special that each coach has prior USA Basketball experience as either a player or coach, and each coach has compiled a successful and impressive resume. I’m very confident that the USA Basketball National Team is in excellent hands the next two years."

2019 will mark Kerr's first year as a coach with USA Basketball. The eight-time NBA champion played for USA Basketball in 1986 and won the World Championship title in Madrid. He has a 265-63 record as head coach of the Warriors including three titles in the last four seasons.

"This is an incredible opportunity and one I’m extremely grateful for," Kerr said in a statement. "I had the good fortune to participate in our USA Basketball program as an amateur, and to have the chance to return to the world stage three decades later and work under Pop, one of my former coaches and a mentor, is a tremendous honor."

Both Wright and McMillan boast USA Basketball experience. In addition to 17 seasons at Villanova, Wright has been active in international hoops since 2000. He most notably led the United States to a gold medal at the 2005 World University Games in Turkey. The 2020 Olympics will mark McMillan's third with Team USA. He won a gold medal as an assistant in 2008 and 2012.

Popovich and his staff will have high expectations in Tokyo. USA Basketball has won the last three Olympic gold medals and six of the last seven since the 1992 Dream Team.</s>Team USA head coach Gregg Popovich has named friend and former player Steve Kerr as one of his assistants for the next two summers, an indication that the Golden State Warriors coach is emerging as an option to become head coach sometime in the future.

USA Basketball made the announcement Thursday. Popovich also named Indiana Pacers head coach Nate McMillan and Villanova head coach Jay Wright as assistants. Popovich and this coaching staff will work with the national team for the 2019 World Cup in China and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

"This is an incredible opportunity and one I'm extremely grateful for," Kerr said in a statement. "I had the good fortune to participate in our USA Basketball program as an amateur, and to have the chance to return to the world stage three decades later and work under Pop, one of my former coaches and a mentor, is a tremendous honor."

Kerr played for Team USA in the 1986 World Championships in Madrid while he was a player at Arizona. He hasn't been a part of Team USA since 1988 as he has focused on his NBA playing, front-office and coaching career. Popovich bringing him into the fold will give him experience with the international game that could make him a strong candidate for the head job down the road.

Wright is also emerging as a long-term candidate to be head coach. He was a part of Popovich's Team USA minicamp in Las Vegas over the summer after working as Popovich's assistant in 2016 when they coached the men's select team that prepared the national team for the Olympics. He has a long career working with USA Basketball that dates back to 2000, coaching in the Young Men Qualifying Tournament, the World University Games and the Pan American Games.

"This will be the opportunity of a lifetime," Wright said in a statement.

McMillan has a long association with USA Basketball. He was an assistant from 2006 to '12, winning two Olympic gold medals and a World Championship under coach Mike Krzyzewski.</s>Kerr was named an assistant coach for USA Basketball and will serve on Popovich’s bench along with Pacers head coach Nate McMillan and Villanova coach Jay Wright.

“This is an incredible opportunity and one I’m extremely grateful for,” Kerr said in a statement. “I had the good fortune to participate in our USA Basketball program as an amateur, and to have the chance to return to the world stage three decades later and work under Pop, one of my former coaches and a mentor, is a tremendous honor.”

The assignment includes the next two summers, spanning the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

“I am honored and fortunate to have such gifted coaches share this USA Basketball responsibility with me,” said Popovich, a 1970 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. “Steve Kerr, Nate McMillan and Jay Wright are not just knowledgeable, dedicated individuals, but they exhibit the creativity, tenacity and respect for the game needed to compete in the international arena.

“I look forward to joining them as USA Basketball attempts to extend the stellar success they’ve enjoyed over the past 12 years.”

Kerr played for Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs.

Wright worked for Popovich and Team USA during the summer camp in Las Vegas and along with Kerr is considered a potential candidate to take over as head coach upon Popovich’s departure. Wright worked with Popovich in 2016 as an assistant on the USA Basketball select team.

Since the 1992 Dream Team, Team USA has taken gold medals in 14 of 17 international competitions.</s>After a couple of relatively quiet summers on the international basketball circuit, things will heat back up again in 2019 and 2020.

Assuming Team USA will qualify for the 2019 FIBA World Cup and the 2020 Summer Olympics, the team will need quality coaches. We already knew Gregg Popovich was going to be the head coach, but the assistant coaches were announced Thursday.

The Spurs' coach will be joined by two other NBA head coaches and one of the top coaches in the college ranks. Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors) and Nate McMillan and Villanova University head coach Jay Wright have been selected as assistant coaches for the 2019-20 USA Basketball Men’s National Team.

Kerr, a five-time NBA champion as a player and three-time champion as a coach, has guided the Golden State Warriors to back-to-back NBA titles.

McMillan, 54 years old, returns to USA Basketball after serving on Mike Krzyzewski’s USA National Team staff from 2006-12. During his time as an assistant coach for the USA National Team, the Americans won gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

Wright, the head coach of the Villanova men’s basketball team, led the Wildcats to NCAA titles in 2016 and 2018. He is one of only three active NCAA Division I men’s head coaches with multiple national championships to his credit.

Since first fielding a team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball national teams featuring NBA players have claimed gold medals in 14 of 17 international basketball competitions and compiled a 134-7 record in those official events, while also posting a record of 51-1 in exhibition games.
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Indiana Pacers head coach Nate McMillan, and Villanova men's basketball head coach Jay Wright are expected to be assistants for the United States basketball team at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.