Coach K: More scrutiny with US team than at Duke
It is clear Mike Krzyzewski enjoys coaching NBA players and derives different enjoyment and satisfaction from professionals than he does college players.
The Duke University and USA Basketball coach doesn’t need to protect or nurture the pros. It is more of give-andtake relationship with NBA players.
“First of all, I love coaching at Duke,” Krzyzewski said. “Coaching for the US, the first thing is I get to coach men – not young men – and guys who are professionals. So I spent a lot of time coaching the United States team and trying to form a man-to-man relationship. I form relationships with my young men at Duke, but it’s different. It’s almost like you’re a little bit more of a father figure.
“This, it’s a different level of professionalism, and I like that. And I learn a lot – because of their experiences and how they see the game – and I get different perspectives than I would from a kid who’s trying to learn the game. I like that.”
To ensure the relationship between USA coaches and players work, Krzyzewski needs to forge strong bonds quickly. They only see each other a couple of times a year, at most, during non-international competition year, like now.
Krzyzewski lets the players know they have ownership of the men’s national team.
There have been several keys to USA Basketball success since Colangelo and Krzyzewski entered the picture following the bronze-medal finish at the 2004 Athens Olympics. It started with Colangelo’s goal to generate player buy-in to the program and create continuity from Olympic cycle to Olympic cycle – both of which had been missing.
Then, Krzyzewski convinced players to learn about the intricacies and differences in the international game – from traveling to when timeouts can be called to offensive and defensive styles to a shorter game.
“When we lost [to Greece in 2006], we deserved to lose,” Krzyzewski said. “The main reason we deserved to lose is because we hadn’t figured it out yet. What do we need? What were we doing? What were we doing that we shouldn’t do? What are we doing that we should continue to do?
“We had to throw ourselves into the culture of international basketball and not be this ‘America’s Team’ that just played in that culture. We have to immerse ourselves and understand the game, the people. It takes time.”
The continuity and adaptation to international basketball has worked out extremely well. Starting with the 2006 bronzemedal game, the US has won 50 consecutive international games, including 36 straight in major international events.
There is player carryover from one major international competition to the next, and it will remain that way for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympics. Kevin Durant and Kevin Love, who both played in the 2010 world championship and 2012 London Olympics, have committed to 2014 and 2016.
Some of the players participating in this week’s minicamp will be part of one or both of those teams. But they need more experience with USA Basketball. That’s why this week is so important to Krzyzewski. He gets to know them a little better and break them into the program.
Interestingly, Krzyzewski said there is more scrutiny coaching the US than there is coaching Duke.
“We’re not only expected to win the gold medal, we’re expected to win everything. We’re expected to be unbelievable,” he said. “The story – when you’re in that type of situation and you win – is big. But it’s not nearly as big if you lose. As competitors, these guys and my coaching staff, some of that you like. You’ve got to be on your stuff at a high level all the time.”
The continuity should continue. The other day, Krzyzewski said he will “never leave Duke.” That means he won’t always be the coach. He will step down some day, but he will always be part of Duke in some capacity. That holds true for USA Basketball.
Krzyzewski has been the head coach of the men’s national team since 2005, but he been involved with USA Basketball since 1979 when he was an assistant coach at the Pan-Am games. He also coached the US at the 1990 world championships and was an assistant on the 1992 Olympic team among other USA Basketball duties.
“I will be a part of USA Basketball for as long as they will allow me to be part of USA Basketball in some capacity,” Krzyzewski said. “When I’m through coaching, it’ll be double-digit years of being the head coach. That institutional memory and the knowledge of the people and the circumstances are important for the future.
“And not to tell a guy how to coach. You should be a resource. But [USA assistant and Syracuse coach] Jim Boeheim should be a resource. He’s been with me the whole time, and Jim has been head of the selection of the youth teams forever. We both should continue on in some capacity.”
(USA Today/MCT)