Coach K to L.A.?

[Krow]

Just flipped through the channels, and they're saying that Mike Krzyzewski has been offered the Los Angeles Lakers coaching job.

Frank Dascenzo's saying that Kobe wants him as coach, and since L.A. wants to keep Kobe, it's possible.

:wavesad: Duke dynasty.

Oh, wait. I'm a Tar Heels fan.

[Gonzo]

LA can burn down to the ground for all I care. If I was this guy I would stick with Duke though because he has a far better thing going with Duke than he can get in LA.

[The Outlaw]

I dunno

One one side, he has nothing left to prove in college basketball.

On the other, he is loved in NC and has a lifetime contract, etc. etc.

Tough call. Personally I don't see him doing it.

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

He won't do it...I wish he would though, it would be the end of Duke basketball greatness

[BCWWF]

I don't know how he would work with Kobe because isn't Coach K's big thing teaching guys to play as a team?

[Jesus Shuttlesworth]

I really don't know what I would explain his technique as

I know he is open to a lot of 3 pointers

[BCWWF]

But Duke brings in some of the top high school players in the country, and continuously shoots them out as team players rather than superstars. Shane Battier being the perfect example. I always thought he was good because he taught his teams to play like a team, rather than Kobe, being Kobe, meh?

[The Outlaw]

Kobe was going to goto DUKE if he went to college, so I think that has something to do with it. Coach K obviously contacted him throughout his senior year I do believe.

[BCWWF]

Colleges are getting so fucked over by that, they think they have some awesome recruit and then he never comes and leaves the team empty :wavesad:

[Supreme Olajuwon]

If he does go he'll pull a Pitino

[The CyNick]

He'll go to LA.

I got 40 million reasons (over 5 years) why he'll sign a deal with the Lakers.

Worse case scenario, he's a flop in LA, and he goes back to college ball with $40 million more dollars in his pocket. Even if he didn't go back to Duke, there would be a hundred schools begging for him to run their program.

Plus, its LA. Even if they were to lose both Kobe and Shaq (which I dont think they will, I think they'll keep Kobe), the Lakers organization will always be able to draw free agents and new talent. So its not like Coach K is going to end up with a crap team. He may or moy not win a championship in LA, but he'll have a winning record, make the playoffs and go from there. And like I said, if he's not happy after 5 years he can go back if he wants.

Seems like a no brainer to me.

[BCWWF]

I think this is just a big overblown nothing

[The CyNick]

I'm really shocked.

Like I said, it seemed like a win-win situation for him. If he goes to LA he would have got a ton of money and then even if he failed he could have picked any job in the NCAA and been paid whatever he's getting now.

However, I guess he really must love it at Duke, which is admirable, but I just cant believe he turned down all that money. I mean that kind of money starts to not only set you for the rest of your life, but could set you kids and so on for the rest of their lives.

I wonder if Rudy T will like being second fiddle?

[DegenerationY]

COACH K TO STAY AT DUKE

ESPN.com news services
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Coach K will stay.


Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has decided to remain at Duke, turning down the Los Angeles Lakers' lucrative contract offer.


After taking the weekend to mull the offer, reported by ESPN's Stephen A. Smith as a five-year, $40 million deal, Krzyzewski decided to remain at the school he has led to three national titles in his 24 years as coach.

The school said Monday that Krzyzewski had informed the Lakers of his decision. A 5 p.m. news conference on campus was scheduled.


Krzyzewski met with Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak on Thursday to discuss the team's coaching vacancy, one of the NBA's showcase positions. Even Lakers star Kobe Bryant was reportedly involved in trying to persuade Coach K to take the job.


The Lakers had no immediate comment Monday on the decision by Krzyzewski, who signed a lifetime contract with Duke three years ago.


The Lakers have been searching for a new head coach since June 18, when coach Phil Jackson stepped down three days after an NBA Finals loss to Detroit.


There were several incentives, beyond the financial, in place to lure Krzysewski to the Lakers, including Bryant's wish to play for Coach K.


The Los Angeles Times reported that Bryant told Krzyzewski just that last week. Some Duke basketball people were in a campus gym when Krzyzewski came in and told the group, "You'll never guess who called. Kobe Bryant. He wants me to come coach him."


Kenny Randolph, father of Duke forward Shavlik Randolph, said Krzyzewski told him in a phone call late Monday morning that he would stay in Durham.


"He just basically said the thing sort of ballooned out of proportion and that he appreciated our friendship and confidence, and that he'd remain at Duke," Randolph said. "And that's all that had to be said.


"I told him, 'Gosh, coach. I've got chill bumps.' And he said, 'I do, too.'"


The 57-year-old Krzyzewski has a 621-181 record in 24 seasons at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to championships in 1991, 1992 and 2001. Under Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils have 10 Final Four appearances, eight Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships and 10 conference regular-season titles.


His Duke teams have been ranked No. 1 in 12 seasons, including each of the last seven.


With his team's success on and off the court, Krzyzewski -- like John Wooden did at UCLA and Dean Smith at North Carolina -- has become synonymous with Duke basketball.


David McClure, an incoming freshman from Ridgefield, Conn., was heartened by Krzyzewski's decision.


"It was an incredible relief," McClure said. "All I can say is I'm speechless. I'm so happy he's staying."


Gary Melchionni, father of junior Lee Melchionni and a former Duke basketball player, expressed relief that Krzyzewski will try to add to his impressive Duke resume.


"That's great news," Melchionni said. "I just want him to get back to work."


Krzyzewski has had several flirtations with the NBA and has said he came close to leaving Duke in 1990 to coach the Boston Celtics.


Following the loss to the Pistons, the Lakers said Jackson wouldn't return. Jackson, who signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Lakers in June 1999, guided them to championships in his first three seasons.


Former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich has been considered the front-runner to succeed Jackson. He has met with team owner Jerry Buss and Kupchak.


Former Lakers coach Pat Riley, an executive with the Miami Heat, also met with Buss and Kupchak, but issued a statement saying he wasn't a candidate.


Among others mentioned have been Kurt Rambis and Jim Cleamons, members of Jackson's staff.


But the Lakers appeared most interested in trying to lure Krzyzewski from Duke, a private school where basketball has a rabid following among the 6,300 students.


The Cameron Indoor Stadium hardwood is named "Coach K Court." Outside the arena, a sign designates the grassy plot where students camp out to attend games as "Krzyzewskiville," where the coach has been known to occasionally buy pizzas for the waiting "Cameron Crazies."


After the Lakers' interest became known, Duke officials said they were open to modifying Krzyzewski's lifetime contract to improve it.


John Burness, Duke's senior vice president for public and government relations, said Monday the university has spoken with Krzyzewski about the contract "and it's reasonable to assume some modifications will be made." He would not elaborate.


Burness said the Lakers' effort to land Krzyzewski was nothing new at Duke.


"We have some of the most outstanding academic people in the world, and we have to address the fact that other leading institutions try to raid us regularly," he said.


"We realize that when we have the best people ... they'll always be in high demand."



Information from The Associated Press was used in this report

[BCWWF]

This isn't the first time that Coach K has been offered an NBA coaching contract, its making it seem like it is. I'm sure the Lakers are talking to people all over the nation, but this one just created a huge stir. I doubt it was even a terribly hard decision for Coach K, he always has the best recruiting class in the nation year after year, millions of dollars, why would he be so eager leave all that?

[The Outlaw]

Yeah. I don't think Coach K is in it for the money.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Coach K is now my favorite person ever

[BCWWF]

Nick Horvath played for Coach K

[The CyNick]

This isn't the first time that Coach K has been offered an NBA coaching contract, its making it seem like it is. I'm sure the Lakers are talking to people all over the nation, but this one just created a huge stir. I doubt it was even a terribly hard decision for Coach K, he always has the best recruiting class in the nation year after year, millions of dollars, why would he be so eager leave all that?

Well $40 million for one

And for two, if he were to win a Championship in the NBA he would be considered one of the greatest coaches in basketball history. Without the NBA under his belt, he's only one of the best college coaches, which is fine, but he could have been more.

Three, the college game is tough nowadays, with so many players leaving after 1 year or not even going to college its so much harder to build a dynasty in college hoops. So even though Coach K has the best talent available to him, thats only good for one year, because the next year he has to build a whole new team because of the NBA.

Finally, the only risk in this move would have been Coach K being a failure somewhere. Even if he did fail he'd get his job back at Duke, because he's a God over there. So like I said, it seems to me the only threat was his reputation as being successful and not wanting to experience failure.

Its clear he likes it at Duke, now I would argue taking the contract seemed like a no brainer because you get life altering money and no risk. But I still respect his decision.

[The Outlaw]

Maybe he isnt in it for the money?

Maybe he wanted to be true to Duke?