Duke University’s legendary basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski announced recently that he would, in fact, continue to coach the Team USA Basketball in international Olympic events through 2016.
Krzyzewski had told the public after the 2012 Olympics that he was done coaching the USA team and would turn over the reins to another coach. But now, Coach K has had a change of heart and will be back after all for the next set of games to be played in Madrid in 2014, the FIBA World Championship.
“It’s the ultimate honor to coach your country’s team,” said Coach K. In his time with team USA, Krzyzewski has mounted an astounding record of 62-1 against international competition while bringing home gold medals from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2012 Olympics in London Olympics.
Coach K is now 66 years old and shows no signs of slowing down. Whether you are a Duke fan or not, you’ve got to like Coach Krzyzewshi. The man is a class act from head to toe. As one of his Olympic players, Deron Williams, put it, “Coach K is an incredible leader. Playing for him and representing my country has been a blessing in my career, and I’m glad he will be back.”
Team USA Basketball will next compete in Madrid in 2014 and then again at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016. “We have the best talent,” says Coach K. “Now we have to develop the best team. We’ve been able to do that the last three competitions.” There will be a Team USA mini-camp in Las Vegas in July this year.
Krzyzewski is already has the most wins of any coach in NCAA history with 957 career victories. He has won four national championships and has taken his teams to the Final Four eleven times.
So, Coach K will be back and everyone involved seems to be very happy about that indeed. The man does bring a certain amount of built-in respect to the game. The players don’t want to embarrass their country, that’s a fact. But they also don’t want to do anything to embarrass their iconic coach… no way.
When the red, white and blue hits the floor in Madrid next year, that old feeling of national pride wells up again and we will be drawn into the games once more featuring the best players on the planet playing together on one team.
