Three current NCAA coaches will serve as assistant coaches for U.S. Olympic basketball

The GIST: There’s a long legacy of college coaches managing Olympic basketball rosters, and this year, two rising stars of the women’s game are taking their first crack at the biggest international stage as Team USA assistant coaches.

Duke head coach (HC) Kara Lawson: Lawson’s basketball pedigree is sterling: She played for the legendary Pat Summitt at Tennessee, blazed trails as an NBA broadcaster, became the Boston Celtics’ first-ever woman assistant coach, and is currently leading the Blue Devils in a rapid glow-up.

• And this is far from Lawson’s first Olympic rodeo: She won gold as a player at the 2008 Beijing Games and again as the women’s 3x3 HC in Tokyo in 2021 — earning her this year’s 5x5 call-up.

• From her viral speeches to her quick quips and unparalleled basketball knowledge, Lawson’s leading era is just beginning, but a third gold medal would cement her amongst Team USA’s coaching legends.

Texas A&M HC Joni Taylor: This is Taylor’s first trip to the Olympics, but she’s bringing lots of international coaching experience. She piloted U18 and U19 USA teams to great success and helped the national team win the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

• Although her Aggies didn’t exactly crush it last season — they finished 6-10 in SEC play and lost in March Madness’ opening round — it was only her second year at the helm. More importantly, the season was considerably better than the 2-14 record they posted in her first year.

• Taylor’s A&M rebuild is just beginning, and the clout that comes from coaching Team USA to the podium should help her recruit enough NCAA star power to make waves in the cutthroat SEC for the next few years. Watch this space.

The GIST: Team USA’s Olympic men’s roster is absolutely jam-packed with NBA All-Stars, and just one men’s college HC was called up to guide them to victory under Golden State Warriors and USA HC Steve Kerr: Gonzaga legend Mark Few.

His NCAA resume: Over his 35 years at Gonzaga (25 of ’em as HC), Few has built the Bulldogs into a March Madness mainstay and a national brand — a stunning accomplishment for a West Coast Conference team without the resources of its Power conference rivals.

• Few knows a thing or two about coaching all-stars: He’s guided 21 All-Americans, including recent March Madness phenoms Chet Holmgren and Drew Timme. With a list of accomplishments this long, it’s no wonder he’s a two-time Naismith Coach of the Year.

His international experience: USA Basketball has called on him a Few many times, mainly to help prep the national squad for the Olympics or FIBA World Cup by assistant coaching the Select Teams (aka scrimmage players).

• But last summer, Few had the chance to assistant coach the World Cup itself, and now, he’s ready for his biggest assignment yet.