Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said in February that it would be easy to say "Nyet' if the New Jersey Nets contacted him about coaching their team -- which they will reportedly do.
But he said it wasn't so easy to turn down the Los Angeles Lakers in 2004.
"I was more than tempted. I seriously considered it,'' he told a mass of media Sunday as his team prepared for tonight's national championship game against Butler. "One, because it was the Lakers. Mitch [Kupchak, the GM] is great. It would have been an opportunity to work with Kobe [Bryant]. He and I are very close.
"I guess because I did not accept it, it really speaks to, you know, how much I love Duke and college basketball, but especially Duke. When we were talking a little bit earlier, a few minutes ago, about commitment -- Duke has been committed to me when I wasn't with Knight and Rupp and those guys [as far as win totals]. They were committed to me when we were 38-47. Just from where I'm from, whatever, that will never leave my heart, that type of commitment.
"So I'll be at Duke even after I stop coaching. You know, that's where I'm gonna be."
Citing unnamed sources, NorthJersey.com reports that incoming Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov will offer Krzyzewski between $12 million and $15 million to be the team’s head coach and perhaps its general manager. Despite the paycheck, it could be a hard sell -- the Nets own the NBA's worst record, and are a far cry from contending for titles.
Last summer, Krzyzewski -- who is also the head Olympic coach -- said he will spend the remainder of his coaching career at Duke.
- Robbi Pickeral
Monday, April 5, 2010
Coach K: 'I'll be at Duke'
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4 comments:
The NETS' new owner has the money for a Calipari/Wall/LeBron trifecta.
I understand that he loves Duke and all...but if someone was willing to give me $15 million a season, I would have to say show me the money. We have to face the fact that college basketball has not really been all that good to him in the last few years, although he has done a masterful job to win tonight's title. If they were to win tonight, I would assume that Singler and Smith would at minimum "test the waters" of the draft. It would just be a really good time to go...and no one could blame him due to the amount of scratch he would get.
As a Carolina fan, I sure hope K isn't going anywhere. This year aside, duke has had enough trouble keeping pace with Carolina lately with K. I think the rivalry would suffer big time without him. And I can't imagine getting the same joy out of hating another Duke coach that I get out of hating coach K.
K'd be crazy to leave now. Next year he'll steamroll Knight's wins record by Tourney time, probably win a 5th title, sweep Carowhina again, and rev up the Redeem Team for his second gold. G.O.A.T.
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