Busy Times Ahead for Kara Lawson
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Kara Lawson certainly has a lot on her plate.
As she gears up for her sixth season as head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, Lawson recently stepped into the role of head coach for Team USA, a position she’ll hold until the 2028 Olympics and the competitions leading up to it. One such event is the FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament this spring.
The U.S. has already secured a spot in the World Cup, having clinched it earlier this summer when a squad of college players, under Lawson’s guidance, triumphed in the America Cup. They’ll still participate in qualifying, which offers a chance to gain valuable experience, work out any kinks, and foster team chemistry. Plus, it allows Lawson and managing director Sue Bird to evaluate potential players for forthcoming significant tournaments like the World Cup.
This sets up a challenging scenario for Lawson. Team USA’s qualifying tournament kicks off on March 11 in Puerto Rico against Senegal. They’ll hustle through five games in just a week, finishing on March 17. This all happens right between the ACC Tournament, wrapping up on March 8, and the NCAA Tournament, which is set to start on March 20.
Before that tournament, it’s likely that Team USA will hold one or two training camps.
At this point, Lawson has to balance both responsibilities efficiently.
“It requires a solid support staff,” Lawson shared during last week’s ACC Tipoff. “The Duke staff brings extensive experience, so I lean on them significantly to manage our program and coaching duties. This way, when I have commitments with the U.S., there’s strong support in place.”
Interestingly, four of her five assistants at Duke have previously held head coaching roles. Tia Jackson has experience leading Washington for four seasons, Kyla Elzy clinched the SEC Tournament with Kentucky, Karen Middleton has over a hundred career wins at Wisconsin Lacrosse, and Karen Lange was at the helm of NAIA Mid-America Nazarene.
Lawson noted that she’s not the first college coach navigating this kind of situation. Coaches like Dawn Staley and Geno Auriemma have led Team USA to Olympic gold while managing college teams. Likewise, Mike Krzyzewski from Duke successfully juggled his duties while coaching the U.S. team to three gold medals.
“When assembling my varsity staff, I count on them at Duke,” Lawson added. “Finding individuals who collaborate well together is crucial, and I have that at Duke. Building a capable Team USA staff will be a priority in the coming months.”
While Lawson’s Team USA assistants haven’t been revealed yet, they typically hail from both the collegiate and WNBA circuits. Previously, Lawson assisted the 2024 Olympic team under Minnesota Lynx’s Sheryl Reeve, and worked alongside Texas A&M’s Joni Taylor and former Washington Mystics head coach Mike Thibault. At the Americup this summer, her assistant coaches included Jenny Baranczyk from Oklahoma and Delisha Milton-Jones from Old Dominion.
However, Lawson emphasized that selecting this staff involves collaboration. “Sue plays a significant role in these decisions, and we’ll be discussing things together,” she explained. “Historically, the national team is usually comprised of a full staff of head coaches… I had that experience in Paris, and it was fantastic working with such talented individuals.”
Lawson and Bird are stepping into a transformative period for Team USA. With the retirement of veteran Diana Taurasi, it’s likely that other seasoned players will also be replaced by younger talents like Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Paige Bakkers, and Aliyah Boston. Clark recently stated during an interview that playing for Team USA is “her number one priority” as she heads into the offseason.
If the views of the current ACC Player of the Year are anything to go by, emerging players are eager to represent Lawson in a Team USA jersey.
“I think she’s a fantastic coach, and her approach to basketball is truly unique,” commented Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo, who played for Lawson in the AmeriCups. “What she brings to Team USA is something no other coach has offered because of her multi-level thinking.”
As spring nears, Lawson faces the task of leading a highly-anticipated Duke squad. After clinching the ACC Tournament last season and making it to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2013, the Blue Devils welcome back four starters and ACC Rookie of the Year Toby Fournier. They’ve also added freshman point guard Emily Skinner to the mix and have two former McDonald’s All-Americans, Riley Nelson and Ariana Roberson, returning from injuries.
Even when not coaching for Duke, Lawson will still represent the university and the ACC. It seems someone at the conference’s office is closely monitoring her leadership of the national team.
ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips expressed his pride, saying, “I’m thrilled for Kara and her family. We’re all very proud of her. It’s exciting for Duke, the ACC, and USA Women’s Basketball to have her at the helm.” He emphasized the strong legacy of American basketball coaches in the league, noting figures like Nell Fortner, Kay Yow, Tara Vanderveer, Coach K, and Dean Smith, which highlights the significance of Kara’s role in this prominent lineage.
