COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Kara Lawson, a pioneer in the world of basketball, now stands on the brink of leading the U.S. to yet another triumph in international play. As Duke’s women’s basketball coach, Lawson has already proven her mettle by guiding the Americans to victory in the 3-on-3 competition at the Olympics and may get a chance to helm the 5-on-5 team at the Los Angeles Games in three years. Her immediate goal, however, is leading the U.S. AmeriCup team, which will begin its campaign in Chile this weekend.
From her days of growing up in Virginia, Lawson aspired to coach, though she never envisioned this opportunity would manifest on a global stage. “Given my extensive playing career, coaching came into my life a bit later. It was always a calling; I just wasn’t sure how I would get there,” Lawson explained in an interview. Initially, she had imagined perhaps coaching at the high school level, as the WNBA was not a reality during her formative years, and a career at the college level seemed distant.
Fast forward to today, Lawson is tasked with guiding a team of college athletes to South America. “Being entrusted as America’s head coach is immense, and I’m committed to doing my utmost,” she mentioned as she prepared herself and her team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. At 44, Lawson could become only the second African American woman to lead the USA women’s Olympic basketball team, following in the footsteps of Dawn Staley, who coached the team during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Lawson’s basketball journey as a point guard at Tennessee, learning under the legendary coach Pat Summitt, has undoubtedly influenced her current coaching prowess. “To learn coaching, there’s no better than learning from the best,” Lawson said. She has a proven track record with USA Basketball, having led the 3-on-3 team to its golden success in Tokyo. While expectations abound about her future roles, including the 2028 Olympic head coach or next year’s World Cup in Germany, Lawson is more focused on the present. “Focusing on the moment tends to unlock future opportunities,” Lawson noted, recalling her 2008 Olympic gold experience alongside Sue Bird. “Preoccupation with future roles can be unproductive and mentally exhausting,” she added, emphasizing her commitment to excel in her current assignment.
Lawson’s transition into coaching followed a unique path: from a 13-year WNBA career to broadcasting, to an assistant coaching position with the Boston Celtics, eventually landing her role at Duke in 2020. Under her leadership, Duke clinched its first ACC Tournament championship this March and made a notable NCAA Tournament run to the Elite Eight, advancing further each of the last three seasons.
Coaching the AmeriCup team brings Lawson full circle, having played in the 2007 tournament in Chile, helping secure the U.S. team’s spot in the Olympics the following year. Now she aims to repeat success with another victory, ensuring an automatic berth for the World Cup next year. “Winning is the goal,” she affirmed. “We’re less seasoned and are facing strong opponents, so our mission is to gel quickly, master our strategies, and align as a team.”
Well aware of the high stakes that come with leading a USA team, Lawson doesn’t allow the pressure of gold-or-nothing expectations to hinder her work. Former teammate DeLisha Milton-Jones, now coaching alongside Lawson, is impressed with her skills. “Kara has an innate understanding of the game, honed from a young age, through college, and professional experiences,” Milton-Jones praised.
In the AmeriCup, Lawson will coach some of the top talents in women’s college basketball, including Flau’Jae Johnson (LSU), Olivia Miles (TCU), Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Madison Booker (Texas), Joyce Edwards (South Carolina), and Raegan Beers (Oklahoma). Her dedication and intensity have not gone unnoticed. “Every day, her intensity is palpable. It’s extraordinary to learn from someone of her caliber,” Johnson remarked.