USA Basketball has announced that Stephen Silas will serve as the head coach for the final two windows of the FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers. Silas, the former head coach of the Houston Rockets, will lead Team USA in games scheduled for November 2024 and February 2025.
Silas brings over two decades of NBA coaching experience, having worked as an assistant for seven different teams and most recently as head coach of the Rockets from 2020-23. This will mark his first time leading a USA Basketball team, and he will be assisted by Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing and veteran coach Keith Smart.
Team USA is currently preparing for two crucial matchups in November at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, D.C. The U.S. team will face Puerto Rico on November 22, followed by a game against the Bahamas on November 25. The arena is home to the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the NBA G League’s Capital City Go-Go. Team USA will look to build on its 1-1 record from the first qualifying window earlier this year.
Joining Silas on the bench will be Ewing, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who has a storied career with USA Basketball. Ewing won gold medals in 1984 and 1992 as a player and will make his coaching debut for Team USA this November. Ewing’s recent coaching experience includes serving as the head coach of Georgetown University, his alma mater, from 2017 to 2023.
Smart, who brings a wealth of coaching and playing experience, will round out the coaching staff. Smart earned a silver medal as a player at the 1987 Pan American Games and has since transitioned into coaching, working in both the NBA and at the collegiate level. His most recent position was as an assistant coach at the University of Arkansas.
The U.S. team will aim to secure its spot in the FIBA AmeriCup tournament, with the November games crucial to their qualifying campaign. After splitting their first two games in February, a strong showing under Silas’ leadership will be critical as they face Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.
