Krzyzewski appears on verge of returning as US Olympic basketball coach
By Brian Mahoney, APWednesday, July 8, 2009
Krzyzewski appears on verge of return as US coach
Mike Krzyzewski appears set to go for more gold.
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said Tuesday that “all leads point to Coach K coming back,” following a report by the Boston Globe that Krzyzewski has agreed to return as U.S. Olympic basketball coach.
The Globe report cited two sources close to the situation.
Krzyzewski led the Americans to the gold medal in the 2008 Olympics, their first major championship in eight years. He also guided them to a bronze in the world championships two years earlier.
Colangelo said he was aware of the speculation regarding Krzyzewski, but wouldn’t confirm a decision had been reached. However, he hoped the coach he picked in 2005 to guide the program would return.
“With the success that we had, I would do everything in my power to keep everything intact,” Colangelo told The Associated Press.
“I’m a strong believer in not upsetting the apple cart.”
The Americans plan to announce their coach at a press conference on July 21 or 22 in Las Vegas, before they open a minicamp for young players who are prospects to play in the 2010 world championships in Turkey and the 2012 Olympics in London.
Colangelo previously planned to name the next coach in the fall, but he and Krzyzewski agreed to move up the decision after a dinner meeting in June. Both he and Krzyzewski wanted to make sure the coach was comfortable with taking more summers away from his family and Duke.
Krzyzewski led the Americans to a 36-1 record from 2006-08, and a return would give him a chance to fill one of the only holes on his Hall of Fame resume. He is 0-for-2 in the world championships, also finishing third in 1990 with a team of college players.
His return could inspire other members of the Olympic team to return to the program. Colangelo talked to half the squad in February, including LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, and believed they would be interested in suiting up again for the Americans.
