Kara Lawson, a Duke boss, is selected by USA Basketball to lead the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup team.

When USA Basketball began evaluating its pool of coaching talent for the 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, the decision was both bold and inevitable. Kara Lawson, head coach of the Duke Blue Devils women’s basketball team, was selected to lead the national squad into the prestigious international tournament. The move not only acknowledges Lawson’s soaring reputation in basketball circles but also marks a pivotal moment for the evolution of women’s basketball leadership in the United States.

For Lawson, a former WNBA player and Olympic gold medalist, this new chapter is more than just an honor—it’s a culmination of decades of competitive excellence and quiet determination.

Lawson’s appointment as head coach of the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup team adds to a résumé rich with historic milestones. She made headlines in 2020 when she was hired by Duke, becoming one of the few Black women to lead a major Division I women’s basketball program. Before that, Lawson broke barriers as the first female assistant coach for the Boston Celtics, earning respect in an NBA locker room for her basketball acumen, communication skills, and leadership under pressure.

Her transition to Duke elevated the program’s national profile and turned the Blue Devils into a tough, defensive-minded team that plays with Lawson’s signature grit. It’s precisely that mentality USA Basketball hopes to harness as it sends a team of collegiate and early professional stars into the international fray.

“We are incredibly proud to have Kara leading our AmeriCup team,” said Jennifer Rizzotti, chair of the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee. “Her knowledge, energy, and ability to connect with athletes on and off the court make her the ideal choice to lead this group.”

The FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, held every two years, is the premier tournament for national teams from North, Central, and South America. The 2025 edition carries added weight—not only as a qualifier for the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup, but as a proving ground for the next generation of American talent.

With the U.S. often sending younger rosters to the AmeriCup while its top pros prepare for Olympic or World Cup duties, the role of the head coach becomes more about development than dominance. Lawson’s experience working with college athletes makes her uniquely suited for this dual mission: win now, and prepare tomorrow’s stars for the global stage.

“She knows what it takes to win at the international level,” said USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley. “Kara understands the balance between competitive urgency and long-term growth. She will instill a culture of accountability, intensity, and unity.”

Part of Lawson’s power lies in her relatability. She played in the WNBA for over a decade, competed at the Olympics, and transitioned into broadcasting before coaching. Along the way, she’s earned a reputation as a cerebral thinker who commands respect.

“She’s one of the best leaders I’ve ever been around,” said former Duke star Celeste Taylor. “Coach Lawson doesn’t just talk the talk—she’s done it. And she teaches you how to tap into the parts of yourself that you didn’t even know existed.”

That mix of high-level experience and emotional intelligence is what separates Lawson from many of her peers. Her speeches routinely go viral—whether it’s her now-famous “Handle Hard Better” monologue or her postgame addresses that double as life lessons.

She doesn’t just coach the game. She teaches it, shapes it, and challenges her players to rise with it.

The 2025 USA AmeriCup roster is still being finalized, but it’s expected to include top collegiate players and WNBA rookies. That presents a coaching challenge: limited prep time, unfamiliar combinations, and the pressure of representing a nation where gold is the only acceptable color.

For Lawson, the solution lies in clarity and culture.

“We may not have the most time together, but we’ll know who we are,” Lawson said during her introductory USA Basketball press conference. “We’re going to compete. We’re going to defend. And we’re going to play together.”

Expect Lawson to implement a defense-first system—her Duke teams rank among the nation’s best in scoring defense year after year. But don’t mistake discipline for rigidity. Her teams play with creativity and freedom on offense, encouraging shot-making from all five positions.

“She trusts her players, and they trust her,” said Lindsay Gottlieb, USC head coach and former Cavaliers assistant. “That’s gold in these short-term tournaments.”

For Kara Lawson, leading the USA team brings her full circle. She was part of the 2008 Olympic team that took gold in Beijing and played in multiple international tournaments as a member of Team USA. Those experiences formed the foundation of her leadership philosophy.

“I remember putting on that USA jersey for the first time and feeling the weight of it,” Lawson recalled. “Now, I get to help a new group of athletes feel that same pride—and guide them through it.”

Her familiarity with international competition, from the physicality to the officiating quirks, gives her team a built-in advantage. But perhaps even more powerful is her ability to tap into the deeper “why” that drives players to represent their country.

“This is bigger than basketball,” Lawson said. “This is about excellence. It’s about being part of something that lasts longer than any season or career. That’s what I want our team to feel.”

Lawson’s USA Basketball role casts a brighter spotlight on Duke, a program that has thrived under her leadership. It also signals a broader shift in the coaching ranks: elite programs are now feeding not just players, but head coaches, into the national team pipeline.

That matters for the visibility and legitimacy of women’s sports. Lawson’s presence in the red, white, and blue sends a clear message to young coaches—especially women of color—that the highest stages are no longer out of reach.

“She’s not just opening doors—she’s kicking them wide open,” said Dawn Staley, South Carolina head coach and Olympic gold medalist. “And once she’s through, she’s turning around to pull others with her.”

Staley’s own journey with USA Basketball—including a stint as head coach of the national team at the Tokyo Olympics—helped pave the way for Lawson. Now, Lawson carries that torch into a new era.

The 2025 FIBA Women’s AmeriCup will be held in July, with a location yet to be finalized. The U.S. will face stiff competition from teams like Brazil, Canada, and Puerto Rico—nations that have closed the gap in recent years through deeper investment in women’s basketball infrastructure.

But with Lawson at the helm, expectations remain sky-high.

USA Basketball has won four of the last five AmeriCups it entered, and anything less than a championship would be viewed as a disappointment. Still, insiders know the goal is bigger than the medal—it’s about cultivating leaders, building chemistry, and creating a talent pipeline for the Olympic squad.

“Kara Lawson’s hire is not just about one summer,” said Rizzotti. “It’s about where we want this program to go in the next decade.”

In Kara Lawson, USA Basketball has chosen not only a talented coach, but a cultural architect—someone capable of transforming a group of elite individuals into a unified force. Her track record, from the WNBA to the NCAA to the Celtics bench, proves she has the tactical mind. Her presence, values, and story show she has the heart.

The 2025 FIBA AmeriCup is just the next stop in a journey that seems destined to keep climbing. For Lawson, for Duke, and for the next generation of American stars, the message is clear: