Jerry Colangelo: I’m not motivated to talk Coach K into coming back to Team USA
Feb 28, 2013, 1:30 AM | Updated: 2:27 pm
In seven years as the coach of the USA men’s basketball team, Mike Krzyzewski has done just about everything he can to bring the red, white and blue back to international prominence.
During Coach K’s tenure, USA basketball has won the FIBA Americas Championship (2007), the FIBA World Championship (2010) and two Olympic gold medals (2008 and 2012).
So, what’s next for the Duke coach? Life after Team USA.
Tuesday, Krzyzewski appeared on ESPN Radio’s Mike & Mike and said his time with the national team was officially over.
“I’ve loved, loved, loved, and it’s been an honor being with the USA basketball team,” Krzyzewski told Mike & Mike. “And to coach the team and work with (chairman and president Jerry Colangelo) for seven years has been marvelous.
Wednesday, Colangelo was asked by Arizona Sports 620’s Doug & Wolf about the possibility of Coach K moving on from his duties with Team USA, and the former Suns chairman and CEO said he’s not overly concerned either way.
“He has his family, he has his university and he has his basketball program,” Colangelo said.
Krzyewski is currently in the midst of his 33rd season at Duke. The Blue Devils are currently the No. 3-ranked team in the country and are poised to make a deep run in the NCAA tournament come March.
Colangelo said he has no plans to discuss the future of USA basketball with Krzyewski until Duke’s season comes to a close.
“By the way, within a matter of weeks that’s going to be behind us,” said Colangelo. “Then we’ll have that conversation and it’ll be a brief one.
“I’m not, nor do I feel motivated to talk him into anything. He’ll share with me what he wants to do. And I am fine either way, because I do have a Plan B and a Plan C.”
Many believe San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Boston’s Doc Rivers are the odds-on favorites to replace Krzyewski as USA basketball’s coach.
