Throughout his spectacular four-decade tenure at Duke University, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, fondly known as Coach K, unquestionably had an everlasting impression on collegiate basketball. However, his tutelage went beyond college basketball. He even led the American men’s national team to incredible success, including gold medals at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympic Games, the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Championships, and the 2014 World Cup.

Having achieved incredible success at the college level, has he ever coached an NBA Team?

Has Coach K ever led an NBA Team?

Despite receiving lucrative offers from many NBA teams throughout his career, Coach K remained committed to the Duke Blue Devils. Never having led an NBA team, he established himself as the most successful men’s college basketball coach in history. During his time at Duke, Coach K had the honor of developing and guiding 68 players who would later be chosen in the NBA Draft.

Coach K, though, had ties in the NBA outside of the collegiate setting. As the head coach of Team USA for 11 years, he had the exceptional opportunity to train some of the best basketball players in the world. He led the national team to three Olympic gold medals while in charge. Coach K reminisced on his career in a 2020 interview with Philadelphia sports radio station WIP, “I got my NBA fix, so to speak. I’m really happy I got that.”

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However, Coach K nearly left Duke in 2004 for an enticing offer by the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Los Angeles Lakers knocked on Coach K’s door in 2004. They made him an almost impossible-to-refuse offer in an effort to lure him away from collegiate basketball and into the NBA. During an episode on former Duke player JJ Redick’s podcast, The Old Man and the Three, Coach K revealed how close he was to making the move to the NBA. “Closer than any other offer I ever had,” he revealed.

While he did flirt around with the Boston Celtics in 1990, no other offer enticed him as much as the Lakers’. “With the Lakers, you know, I was 57, and I said, ‘Is there something more? I love what I’m doing. I love Duke, but is there something more? And I’m not going to be doing this forever,'” he revealed.

“They were at my house. They offered a lot of money. We were building the Emily Krzyzewski Center at the time. And they offered to do the rest of the building of that. So when they left the house, this is like generational wealth. You gotta consider it.”

Coach K was 57 years old and considering his future at that time. He was doing what he loved at Duke, but the Lakers’ offer was a chance he had to take seriously. The Lakers went all-in, offering Coach K a whopping five-year, $40 million contract along with the funds for the completion of the Emily Krzyzewski Center, a project near to his heart.

To put things into perspective, Coach K received about $2 million a year at Duke. This was less than one-fourth of what the Lakers were prepared to offer him. For Coach K, this was a true temptation, one that even prompted him to approach some of his players, including JJ Redick, and mull over the idea of leaving Duke.

In the end, Coach K’s devotion to Duke and close relationship with the school won. He remembered the institution’s and his former athletic director’s unflinching support they had given him at the beginning of his coaching career. He ultimately made the decision to remain at Duke, where he carried on cementing his illustrious career.

Which NBA Star Had the Best Career Under Coach K’s Leadership?

And while he may not have coached Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, he certainly has a memory of Kobe that he holds close to his heart.

Coach K once used Kobe Bryant as an example

Coach K had known Kobe Bryant since his high school days. However, it wasn’t until he took over as Team USA’s head coach that he received a close-up look at Bryant’s exceptional work ethic. He even once used Kobe as an example while coaching the Duke basketball team and Zion Williamson.

“Kobe Bryant said, ‘Coach I never get a standstill three.’ I said, ‘You will get standstill threes.’ He says, ‘I’m always double-teamed.’ (I said) ‘You won’t be double-teamed. You’re going to get open threes.’ Then all of a sudden, he did, and he didn’t hit ’em,” Krzyzewski shared. “Then he’s in [the gym] every night shooting 1,000 shots a night. That’s not an exaggeration.”

“The free throw and the standstill three, you gotta be able to hit them. You should love this place right here. You should love the gym. You should love the gym,” he advised the players.

Although Coach K had a brief stint with Kobe Bryant, it surely left an impact on his coaching philosophy. And even though Kobe and the Lakers came knocking, Coach K’s heart ultimately belonged to the Blue Devils.

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What are your thoughts on Coach K’s career? Let us know in the comments below!