DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum How could Coach K turn this offer down??

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski told ESPN.com Monday morning that "I wouldn't have any interest in the job," even if incoming New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov offers to make him the highest-paid coach in the NBA.



The Bergen (N.J.) Record reported Monday that Prokhorov, despite Krzyzewski's earlier public expressions of disinterest, has continued to target Coach K as his No. 1 choice to coach the Nets once the NBA's board of governors approves his purchase of the majority ownership of the franchise from Bruce Ratner.

Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson is currently the NBA's highest-paid coach with a $12 million salary, and the Record said Prokhorov might be willing to offer Krzyzewski in the range of $12 million to $15 million annually.

"I haven't been contacted," Krzyzewski said as he rode the team bus to Duke's shootaround in preparation for Monday night's NCAA championship game against Butler in Indianapolis. "I wouldn't have any interest in the job. You would be flattered if someone would offer you a job, but I would not be interested."

Krzyzewski strongly considered jumping from Duke to the NBA in 2004 when he was offered the head-coaching position with the Lakers, but he has maintained in the years since that he is now totally committed to Duke and to USA Basketball, where he has signed to coach the U.S. senior men's national team through the 2012 Olympics.

Coach K reiterated at his news conference Sunday in Indianapolis that he plans to stay at Duke even after he retires from coaching.

"I haven't changed in that regard," Krzyzewski said Monday, adding of the Lakers opportunity in 2004: "The Lakers thing, with their franchise and my history with Kobe, if you were going to do it, I don't know how you can jump for anything better than that."

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2010/news/story?id=5056964

I don't know how much money Coach K makes but at some point it is no longer the overiding factor. He is in a great situation where he has everything he wants gets last say on how his program is run and doesn't really have to worry about job security. Some might say he already has the best job he could get.

There are plenty of guys who wouldn't like coaching in the NBA the way they do NCAA.

I doubt he leaves as well, but I would definitely consider it. I think of any high profile college coach, coack K would be able to get the ear of nba players. He did a great job with team usa in the olympics. He seems to get plenty of respect from nba superstars.

Especially if you were able to grab someone like D-Wade, I would strongly consider.

Trella...simple...if he loves what he is doing now and is already a millionaire many times over, why do something that would screw that up?

But hey, who knows...tomorrow morning, after the big game, he might have a different answer...but today, before the big game, it is the answer I would expect from him.

While he may not look it, he's also 63 years old... I mean unless the Nets actually do land LeBron and one other very good player, this team is in for at least a 5-6 year rebuilding effort before it sees any kind of real success, why would he want to embark on that at 63?

He's got Duke, he's got USA basketball where he gets to work with the NBA talent, he's got millions, he gets to live in NC and not NJ...

I see a ton of reasons to stay and only 1 to leave.. more money, which he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that is driven by that, at least not at the age of 63.

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he gets to live in NC and not NJ...

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That right there is all you had to say

There is no reason to be driven by that kind of money when good amounts of it automatically come with the success he's already had anyway.

Good point on the age.

What kind of "quick" success is he going to have at 63 with the Nets rebuilding ? He's gonna need a lot more than just LeBron to get over that hump.

No amount of money is worth all of those new headaches.

And then, he's got the full power and measure of the Duke Medical system when his health does start to decline. (Of course, he has that anyway if he leaves,..)

Probably his daughters and grandkids are all settled in and around the area,....

He has life by the short hairs.

I don't even think he gave the Lakers a passing glance in 04,....

for one, the guy is 63, and probably doesn't want to put up with the everyday crap of being an nba coach. dealing with egos, the new york media, hell, maybe even lebron told him he's staying in cleveland (lolz)

the college game is much, much different too. and if he's not gonna take the laker job (see 2004) why would he take the nets job, just for money and a small amount of talent with no gaurantee of landing any top player?

money isn't everything. and if you watched the 60 minutes piece on this owner, the guy seems pretty unstable for someone with that kind of money.

if nothing else, maybe this gets duke to sweeten the pot.

Well, that's where I draw the line. Duke shouldn't have to sweeten the pot.

Success is a two-way street.

i'm not a huge fan of duke, i don't hate them like a lot of people do, their fans get kind of annoying, and they have a ton of bandwagon fans, but i like coach k, i think he's a great college coach. college. i don't know if he would last in the nba. it would really depend on the job.

if he had a ready-made team, like the cavs, with a leader like lebron, i think he'd be great, but a complete rebuild like the nets? that could get ugly, and coach k comes off, to me at least, as someone who wouldn't want to tarnish his legacy for a big paycheck. duke will take care of coach k.

I'm not what I call a "huge" fan, but I have always been an admirer of ACC basketball (from years of being stationed in the Southeast), and Duke had always been my favorite before learning to appreciate Buckeye basketball.

And he also gets to have his NBA "fix" with the coaching of Team USA for the Olympics. I doubt he leaves, but that is an awful lot of money to turn down now matter how much you currently make. If he is going to increase his salary 5x-7x (not sure what he currently makes) what he currently makes, you certainly have to think about it. I mean, sure he is very wealthy now and likely will never have to worry about money again, but this kind of money will possibly take it to a level where no one in your immediate family ever has to worry again.

At 63, this is probably his last chance to coach in the NBA if that is something he feels is missing in his career. I agree with everyone else that he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who cares about that, however we just don't know.

I believe it was in 2000 that Coach K signed a lifetime contract with Duke.. (not that contracts can't be broken) but I'm pretty sure between that, his USA basketball gig, and his endorsements, his pot is pretty darn sweet as it is.

I don't remember if they announced the dollars with it. Duke is private so they don't have to announce if they don't want to, unlike public universities which have to announce because technically the coach is a state employee.

How could he possibly turn down NEW YORK CITY for his current hometown where all his roots are?!?! I mean it's NEW YORK CITY!!! Think of all the endorsments and money he can make there! He would be a god among men ... because it's NEW YORK CITY!

Kudos to Coach K though. I'm not a big fan of Duke's bandwagon fanbase, but you gotta admire what Coach K does.

Duke's highest-paid employee: Coach K
Associated Press



Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2009 - 12:30 p.m. ET

DURHAM, N.C. -- Coach K remains Duke's highest-paid employee.

The school's most recent IRS documents were obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. They show that Duke paid men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski (shuh-SHEFS'-kee) more than $3.6 million during the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2008.

The Hall of Fame coach made about $2.2 million the previous year.

Krzyzewski's salary is about 3 1/2 times that of Duke's next highest-paid employee. Chancellor emeritus Dr. Ralph Snyderman made about $983,000.

Former women's basketball coach Gail Goestenkors (guest-en-kors), who's now at Texas, also made the school's list of top earners. Duke paid her nearly $500,000 in deferred compensation.

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The other side of that is,....if anyone "deserved" to be granted a pass for "moving on," it would be K.

I think K retires. I think he's not interested in the Nets job, because he's done.

It wouldn't surprise me to see him retire, and do nothing but coach the Olympic team.

I would, he has been on the radio a lot this year talking about how the USA b-ball experience really rejuvinated him for coaching at Duke.

I think he will coach a few more years while Johnny Dawkins builds his resume at Stanford, then he will be his hand picked successor.

A buddy of mine is a Puke fan, and he swears that Wojo is going to be the next coach.

He's not happy about it, but that's what he says is gonna happen.

what are you guys doing here? only Excl seems to get it.

the Nets are moving to Brooklyn. as in NYC. as in LeBron's favorite burrough.

so, obviously, the Nets will get coach K, then sign LeBron, Wade, and Bosh for veteran minimum contracts because they love NYC so much. Then, Stern will make sure they get John Wall to play PG and they are setup for the long run.


(ok, I am obviously joking, but that was seriously an argument on ESPN's local radio here in TX today. not the minimum contracts, but that they'd get LeBron and another guy like Joe Johnson and John Wall in the draft)

Nah, according the the anti-UK media, LeBron and Calipari already have a deal that Calipari is going to go back to the Nets, LeBron is going to the Nets, and they'll draft John Wall.

Seems pretty easy to me. He's in his comfort zone. He is a god on campus, can command any number of boosters to do his bidding, he runs a 4 time national champion squad and will never have to worry for his financial security or his kids. I really don't see where the draw would be other than a challenge to bring a championship to a NBA team....and if he didn't jump for the Lakers, well, I don't see him making the leap for the Nets...