With the opening ceremonies underway, Kara Lawson is officially back at the Olympic Games.
After helping the United States win the gold medal in women’s basketball in 2008, Lawson accepted a position as an assistant coach with the team for this summer’s tournament in Paris.
The job makes Lawson the fifth woman to ever compete for the United States in women’s basketball and later return to coach the team. She joins Dawn Staley, Pat Summitt, Anne Donovan, and Jennifer Gillom on the esteemed list.
If Duke fans need more reasons for confidence in Lawson than they already have, that list includes nothing but champions. Summitt, of course, won eight national titles at Tennessee. Staley has already won three of her own at South Carolina, including two of the last three, and Donovan led the Seattle Storm to a WNBA title in 2004.
Despite Paris marking her official return to the 5×5 basketball stage, Lawson did win a second gold medal in Tokyo three summers ago. She served as the inaugural U.S. head coach in the first-ever edition of Olympic 3×3 basketball, helping an American squad of Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Allisha Gray, and Stefanie Dolson win gold.
Really an elite group. #USABWNT pic.twitter.com/HxxAMCUBz5
— Duke Women’s Basketball (@DukeWBB) July 25, 2024
Lawson will join forces with former Duke star Chelsea Gray as the United States looks to clinch yet another gold medal.