Gregg Popovich to succeed Mike Krzyzewski as head coach of USA Basketball

Popovich has signed on to be the head coach from 2017 to 2020. With five NBA championships, mostly recently with the Spurs in 2014, Popovich is one of the most well-respected coaches around the league and perhaps the best option Team USA could have chosen to succeed the legendary Coach K.

When Krzyzewski took control of Team USA in 2005, the program was fresh off a humiliating sixth-place finish at the 2002 FIBA World Championship held in the United States and a disappointing bronze medal finish during the 2004 Olympics. Krzyzewski helped generate national pride and brought together a 12-man roster for the 2012 Olympics that rivaled the 1992 Dream Team. The U.S. National Team holds a 63-game winning streak that dates back to 2006.

While Krzyzewski will have coached the team 12 years after the 2016 Olympics, it seems unlikely Popovich would stay on as long as he did. Popovich is 66 and has already hinted at retirement before, although he committed to remain as head coach of the Spurs through 2019 when he signed LaMarcus Aldridge to a four-year deal this summer.

Other questions will involve a new qualifying format that will take place during the NBA season.

In addition, Team USA announced Jerry Colangelo will continue as managing director until 2020. Colangelo has been just as important getting star players to sign up for international play and his continuation with the program will ensure that happens for at least the next five years. Krzyzewski also isn’t completely leaving Team USA behind -- he’ll stay on as a special advisor, according to the release.