Daigneault Joins Team USA
Oklahoma City Thunder Head Coach Mark Daigneault Joins Elite Team USA Staff for Global Competitions
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Key Points
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World Cup qualifying games for Team USA are scheduled for August 27 against Chile and August 31 against Colombia, marking the path toward the 2027 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
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The Thunder posted an NBA-best 68-14 regular-season record in 2026, underscoring the franchise’s recent championship run and high win totals.
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Mark Daigneault earned the NBA Coach of the Year honor for the 2023-24 season, highlighting his rapid rise and impact as a young head coach prior to moving to the national-team role.
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Team USA has already qualified for the 2028 Olympics with Los Angeles as the host city, a status noted in profiles of the coaching staff.
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Mark Few is described as the most veteran national-team assistant among the group, having served in Team USA roles since 2021, alongside Spoelstra and the incoming NBA coaches.
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault is joining Team USA's basketball coaching staff, according to Bradenton.com. He will serve as an assistant under head coach Erik Spoelstra, alongside JB Bickerstaff and Gonzaga's Mark Few. The move marks Daigneault's first role with a national team.
The appointment comes after Daigneault led the Thunder to a 2025 NBA championship and a league-best 68-14 record in 2026. He also won the 2023-24 NBA Coach of the Year award. He was the second-youngest head coach in Thunder history when hired in 2020.
Spoelstra Builds His Staff After Kerr Steps Down
Erik Spoelstra took over as Team USA head coach after Steve Kerr retired from the role, per Sacramento Bee. This will be the first national team cycle under Spoelstra's leadership. He guided Team USA to Olympic gold in Paris, giving him instant credibility heading into the next stretch of competition.
Spoelstra now has a full staff around him. Daigneault and Bickerstaff are the two incoming NBA coaches, Bellingham Herald reported. Mark Few rounds out the group as the most experienced national-team assistant, having served in USA Basketball roles since 2021.
Team USA Eyes World Cup Qualifiers This August
The new coaching staff will face its first tests quickly. Team USA is scheduled to play World Cup qualifying games on August 27 against Chile and August 31 against Colombia. Those wins would help secure a spot in the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Doha.
Team USA has already locked up a berth in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, per Myrtle Beach Online. NBA players may join the roster for qualifying rounds as schedules allow. The 2028 Games on home soil give USA Basketball added motivation to build early chemistry with this staff.
Daigneault's Rise from Young Coach to National Stage
Daigneault was just 35 when Oklahoma City hired him in 2020, making him one of the youngest head coaches in the league at the time. He quickly built the Thunder into a powerhouse. The team went 68-14 in the 2025-26 regular season — the best record in the NBA that year.
He won the Coach of the Year award for the 2023-24 season. Then came the 2025 NBA title. Now a national-team role adds another layer to his profile. Joining Spoelstra's staff also puts him in the room with some of the best coaching minds in the country.
Thunder's International Reach Grows Beyond Daigneault
Daigneault is not the only Thunder figure with a national-team connection. Star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander plays for Team Canada. Defensive specialist Lu Dort also suits up for Canada. The Thunder's roster and staff now span multiple national programs.
Mark Few's inclusion on the staff adds a college perspective, according to KXLY. He is the only non-NBA coach in the group. His experience in international play since 2021 gives Spoelstra a veteran voice as the staff preps for both World Cup qualifying and the 2028 Olympics.
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