Duke hires Celtics assistant Kara Lawson as new women's basketball head coach

Boston Celtics assistant coach Kara Lawson has reached an agreement with Duke to take over the women’s basketball program, reports Steve Wiseman of The Raleigh News & Observer. The university confirmed the hiring on Twitter.

Lawson, 39, is with the Celtics in Orlando, where she participated in a practice this morning. She had a virtual meeting with her new Blue Devils players later in the day.

A former star at Tennessee and in the WNBA, Lawson joined Boston’s coaching staff last summer. She will be the first Black coach in the history of Duke women’s basketball, taking over a program that went 18-12 last season with a 12-6 record in the ACC.

Lawson, who won a gold medal with the U.S. national team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, replaces Joanne P. McCallie, who resigned last week after 13 years as Duke coach.

Lindsey Harding, a player development coach with the Sacramento Kings and a former star at Duke, also interviewed for the job, according to Wiseman.