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Kara Lawson named Duke women's basketball head coach

by: Nick Roush07/11/20@RoushKSR

Photo: Allen Kee/ESPN

Once a rising star in the media as a college basketball analyst, Kara Lawson has now successfully her talents to the college basketball coaching ranks.

Duke University announced Saturday afternoon that Lawson will be the school’s next head women’s basketball coach. She replaces Joanne P. McCallie who stepped down this offseason after 13 years with the program.

A star for Pat Summitt in the early 00s, Lawson helped the Lady Vols reach three Final Fours before she became a top five pick in the WNBA Draft. Lawson spent more than a decade playing professionally and won an Olympic gold medal. During her WNBA career she began broadcasting, serving as a studio analyst before moving to the sideline as a color commentator, often calling Kentucky basketball games at Rupp Arena.

Lawson returned to the sideline in 2019 as an assistant for the Boston Celtics, the first female assistant coach in the storied franchise’s history. It will only be a matter of time before her Blue Devils are taking on Matthew Mitchell’s Wildcats.

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2025-09-12