CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Extensive multitasking has become a requisite for college basketball coaches given the impact of NIL and the transfer portal. Perhaps no women’s coach in the country handles it all with as much on the line as Duke’s Kara Lawson.
Entering her seventh season, Lawson’s immediate future includes aspirations of directing the Blue Devils to the Final Four for the first time in 20 years. But the Team USA women’s coach also is keeping an eye toward the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where the Americans will be seeking a ninth consecutive gold medal.
Most recently, Lawson guided the United States to gold at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, overcoming a 14-point deficit to defeat France in the championship game, 97-79. It was the fifth consecutive gold medal for Team USA at the FIBA Women’s World Cup.
“I just dedicate time each week to it,” Lawson told Hoops HQ on Monday about managing her USA Basketball duties in addition to those at Duke. “So I don’t all of a sudden get close to a Team USA event and then cram every week. I have time set aside where I work on USA, or I think about USA, or I watch film, and that’s what nice about that, is they’re not mutually exclusive because they’re both basketball.”
Lawson is the latest in a line of distinguished coaches in her sport who have juggled Team USA and college duties.
South Carolina’s Dawn Staley coached Team USA from 2017 through 2020, winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics in her final year. UConn’s Geno Auriemma held the same position with USA Basketball from 2009 through 2016, winning gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics and the 2016 Rio Games.
Auriemma and Staley also combined to win three gold medals at the FIBA World Championships, now known as the World Cup.
“I’m just a better coach coming back,” Lawson said, “I think just the experience of coaching in a pressurized environment, games that have stakes – it’s just like anything you do – the more reps you get at something the better you become.”
Lawson embraces her USA Basketball and Duke commitments with an appreciation for her profession dating back decades.
The coaching bug began nipping at Lawson during her youth basketball days outside Washington, D.C. As a junior at West Springfield High School in Virginia, she informed her coach of her intention to coach in the NBA.
Lawson checked that box when she joined the Boston Celtics as an assistant in 2019-20 under then-coach Brad Stevens. She became the first female coach in the history of the storied NBA franchise. One season later Lawson broke more barriers as the first Black basketball coach at Duke.
“I’ve just always had big goals, and I’ve been unafraid to voice them,” she said. “I think sometimes we’re afraid to say out loud what we want to do because we’re concerned people will think it’s too big or too gaudy, you’re too arrogant, all of those things. I’ve never been afraid to answer a question directly. I’m certainly not just yelling it out to the rooftops, but I think you should name your goals.”
Much of that moxie stems from her relationship with the late Pat Summitt. Lawson played for the legendary Tennessee women’s coach from 1999 through 2003, advancing to four straight Final Fours. Their time together was life-altering, according to Lawson, whose list of mentors also includes Mike Thibault, the winningest coach in WNBA history until Cheryl Reeve passed him this season.
Lawson played for Thibault with the Washington Mystics in 2014 and 2015, her final two seasons in the league. The fifth overall pick in the 2003 WNBA Draft then served as a television analyst for the Washington Wizards before embarking on a coaching journey featuring, among other accomplishments, the first ACC Tournament title in Duke women’s history in 2025.
“I’ve seen her play in hostile environments and just handle the pressure,” said Thibault, who was an assistant for Team USA at the 2008 Olympics with Lawson on the roster. “I think that’s probably a good sign that you can stay calm in big basketball moments as a coach.”
Last season the Blue Devils advanced to the Elite Eight for the second year in a row. They had not gone that deep into the NCAA Tournament since 2013. A push to reach the Final Four this season has legitimate traction considering the Blue Devils return three starters and feature a deep cast of contributors led by prized transfer Aaliyah Crump, who played one season at Texas.
Crump is expected to provide immediate help filling out the Blue Devils’ guard rotation. Her association with USA Basketball and familiarity with Lawson, Crump said, made the decision to transfer to Duke anxiety-free. Crump has been part of USA Basketball for the past four years, including winning the gold medal at the under-16 FIBA Americas Championship.
“I think our team chemistry is incredible,” junior forward Toby Fournier told reporters during ACC Tipoff media days. “Even when we’re not playing, we’re planning a dinner together or doing some activity all together. We choose to spend our time together.”
Further underscoring Lawson’s attention to culture building is an uncommon roster composition: Twelve of the 14 players have played only for the Blue Devils. That continuity has allowed Lawson to concentrate on player development more than some of her peers, whose rosters change dramatically from one season to the next.
“They enjoy playing with one another,” Lawson said. “Believe it or not, they enjoy playing for me. I think that’s what keeps us together is there’s a lot of connection that exists in our program from player to player and from coach to player. There’s a lot of love and trust and loyalty that we have, and belief in one another.”
Meet your guide
