Duke or Lakers? Coach K's easy choice
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:25 AM
Filed Under:
Coaches, ACC
Coach K possibly coaching the Lakers? It’s déjà vu all over again.
Back in 2004, shortly after the Shaq vs. Kobe fallout and a disappointing NBA finals, the Lakers courted Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, who turned down a five-year, $40 million offer to coach L.A (despite a sales pitch from Kobe Bryant). The team turned to Rudy T instead, had a couple of sub-par seasons, coaxed Phil Jackson back to town and eventually won that elusive 15th NBA title.
It was Jackson’s 10th ring. He told the L.A. Daily News that his coaching future would be based his health (he’s 63) and if “enough’s enough.” Derek Fisher thinks Jackson will return, but says he’s sure about him.
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP |
Coach K
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Which goes back to Coach K. Would he seriously consider the Lakers this time? Staying at Duke seemed like a permanent move.
"The decision has always been to stay at Duke. It would have to be something changing [that]," he said in 2004.
Has anything changed? Duke’s still winning at an impressive clip. The Devils won 139 games, three ACC tourneys and 1 regular-season title. That’s business as usual.
Except … Duke hasn’t been to the Final Four since 2004. That’s an eternity in Durham. If not reaching the NCAA tourney’s final weekend counts as change, there’s a start.
Also, Krzyzewski, 62, won a gold medal last summer with Team USA – when he coached Kobe. Coach K came away mighty impressed with Kobe’s skills. He even wrote a book on it.
Will those two things – not to mention what would likely be a monster contract – be enough to push Krzyzewski to L.A.? Would he feel the need to pursue one more challenge before possibly retiring? They'ree important factors and shouldn't be taken lightly.
Seems like a stretch. The bigger challenge for Krzyzewski would be to reestablish Duke as an NCAA tournament power.
The Devils are just 7-5 in the Big Dance since he turned down the Lakers. He’s won 76 percent of his NCAA tourney games. That’s no way for Coach K to leave Duke. He's a college hoops icon and perfect for the college game. It didn't make sense to leave in 2004 and it wouldn't make sense now.
