Steve Kerr is apparently done coaching Team USA men’s basketball after earning a gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, despite some unjustified internal controversy surrounding Jayson Tatum, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein.

The famous head coach of the Golden State Warriors has previously informed The Athletic that he will probably resign as the Americans’ coach following the Paris Games since he always felt the position was like a “baton” to be passed along, so the news is not shocking.

Who will probably succeed Kerr is where things get intriguing, especially because the USA program is starting to focus on Los Angeles in 2028. It seems obvious which of the two head coaches of the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers, Erik Spoelstra and Tyronn Lue, should be chosen as the next coach.

Let me, however, make the choice very simple for the Americans.

That ought to be Spoelstra. fleeing.

Without any slight to Lue, who is currently, in my opinion, in the top five NBA basketball coaches, Spoelstra is the undisputed best coach in the men’s game. It’s not even close, in actuality. Since I genuinely believe Spoelstra is far superior to Kerr, I must admit that I was a little surprised the brilliant strategist from Miami wasn’t the USA coach for this most recent Olympic cycle.

The credentials of Spoelstra essentially speak for themselves.

With six total trips to the NBA Finals since 2011, he has guided the Heat to two NBA titles. Under his leadership, the Heat have only missed the playoffs three times since the 2008–2009 campaign began. Whenever you discuss the game with someone, they will usually highlight Spoelstra’s natural ability to make the most of whatever skill he has. Because Miami can never be written off while Spoelstra is coaching, he is essentially the originator of the iconic “Heat Culture” that has gained meme status in the NBA. That’s because he’s an insatiably intelligent basketball obsessive.

Imagine the man who was renowned for taking “gritty” and frequently hastily assembled squads and turning them into a team that includes every elite American player on the globe. Boy, oh boy. This is not to suggest that the Americans are in any way in danger of losing their gold-medal position in Los Angeles; rather, it is to suggest that the presence of Spoelstra as their coach would likely increase their chances of winning even more.

Make the proper choice, basketball team USA. Allow Kerr to hand the reins to Spoelstra. He deserves it.

Following their rare appearance, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk bury the hatchet, revealing new information.

Following Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith’s apparent hatchet-burying during Wednesday night’s NRL Hall of Fame ceremony, some intriguing new information has emerged. At the SCG dinner, there was no sign of any residual enmity between the legendary Melbourne Storm players and their spouses.

Along with several other contemporary greats like Billy Slater, Jonathan Thurston, Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess, and Benji Marshall, Smith and Cronk were inducted into the Hall of Fame. But what made Smith and Cronk’s presence together—along with their spouses, Tara and Barb—especially noteworthy was how uncommon it was to see the Melbourne Storm legends in the same room.

Former best friends Smith and Cronk captained the Storm in the 2000s and 2010s when they were at the pinnacle of their success. However, they had a notorious falling out, and Smith declined to travel to Sydney for Cronk’s wedding. Cronk’s choice to join the Sydney Roosters, where he won two more premierships, instead of staying with the Storm is said to have been the catalyst for the rivalry.

According to reports, Cronk claimed he joined the Storm’s bitter rivals in order to be closer to Tara, who was employed in Sydney, but Smith wasn’t happy about it. Upon Cronk and Tara’s small-scale wedding ceremony in Sydney, Smith and his spouse Barb were conspicuously absent.

It’s reported that Smith abruptly texted Cronk to let him know he wouldn’t be attending, which didn’t sit well with Tara and Cronk. After the Roosters defeated the Storm in the 2018 grand final, the two got into a heated argument, with Cronk putting his hands around Smith’s throat for a late tackle.

Are Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith getting along better?

However, it seems that time truly heals all wounds, as Smith and Cronk seem to have put their differences behind them in the years that have gone. On Wednesday night, there were some touching moments when Cronk and Smith shared an embrace on stage following their joint induction into the Hall of Fame. Cronk also expressed his sympathy to Smith on the sad loss of his mother.

2024 #NRL Hall of Fame Inductee 124 Cooper Cronk pic.twitter.com/L5H8hOlIDT

— NRL (@NRL) August 21, 2024

Both Smith and Cronk mentioned in their remarks that they would not have succeeded as much without one another and people like Slater and Inglis. After years of animosity between two of the greatest players in the history of the game, it was a sight to behold.

But according to the Daily Telegraph, Smith and Cronk weren’t placed at the same table, suggesting that this was possibly done on purpose to keep them apart. Marshall was seated at one table with Slater and Cronk and their wives, while Smith and Barb were seated at a different table. It was said that the only time they spent together that evening was during their performance on stage.

Unveiled as the 14th Immortal of the NRL, Ron Coote

When it was announced on Wednesday night, many believed Smith had a chance to become the 14th Immortal, but Ron Coote was chosen to wear the title instead. The legend of the Roosters and Souths had long been seen as a strong candidate to become an Immortal, but had been passed over each time.

The 80-year-old, who claimed two more premierships with the Roosters and four with Souths, said he had given up on winning the greatest award in sports. He said on stage that he was “a bit taken for words.” “I never imagined that at (almost) 80 years old, I would be crying, but I am.

It must yet become ingrained. I’m not entirely sure how everything works out. I’ve been passed over each time they’ve introduced Immortals. I didn’t think this would occur. It has arrived this time. I watch for events to transpire before I take a seat and relax. It’s been excellent and I’ve appreciated it.”

A few female players were also inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame for the first time ever. Tahnee Norris, Karyn Murphy, Wayne Bennett, Tarsha Gale, Katrina Fanning, Veronica White, and Karyn Murphy were the first women inducted. Jack Gibson and Tarsha Gale served as the coaches.