Coach K drops major revelation about Lakers job offer

Mike Krzyzewski, also known as Coach K, was the head coach of the Duke basketball team for over 40 years. From 1980 to 2022, Coach K led the Blue Devils, but in 2004 he got the opportunity to join the NBA and coach the Los Angeles Lakers. The job was obviously turned down, but the Lakers are now led by a former Blue Devil as JJ Redick is now the head coach.

Coach K turned down the job at the time, but if he were 57 again and offered the job today, he thinks he would have taken it.

“I think if I was 57 now and it was offered to me, I would go,” Krzyzewski said, according to an article in ESPN. “I still love Duke. College basketball is great – the product. Everything you have to do to get there isn’t as rewarding as it was 20 years ago. At least for me.

When the Lakers were then looking for a new coach, they were looking for someone who would be the best fit for their star, Kobe Bryant. Coach K came to mind.

“It was like, ‘Hey, what are you looking for Kobe?’” Rob Pelinka said. “And he just started talking about discipline and militarism and inspiration and intransigence and Coach’s name just came up. And then before, you know, the Lakers tried to hire him.

Playing for Coach K is something special. He has done a good job of inviting many elite players to come play for the Duke basketball team, and JJ Redick is one of them.

“Coach was the main reason I went to Duke — to play for him,” Redick said. “So I definitely called friends from different schools. I was like, ‘Hey, uh, do you have a place? I might transfer.’

Coach K and JJ Redick had discussions about Lakers job

JJ Redick ended up being the guy from the Duke basketball program who took the Lakers job, and he spoke with Mike Krzyzewski before accepting the job.

“Just to know, is this a joke or is this, you know, an ego trip?” » said Krzyzewski. “Because I’m not saying he’s looking for that, but it can be intoxicating to get attention and in a different way. For example, he has already proven himself in the media world and immediately rose to the highest level on television. It was basically to find out, are you serious? …And he said, ‘I’m serious.’ He said, “I want to be an NBA coach. I think I can be a very good NBA coach.

Redick also shared some stories about his conversation with Coach K, and it seems like it was beneficial for both of them.

“A lot of that first phone call was just explaining to him what was on my heart and mind and kind of what I wanted to do, which was coach,” said Redick. “And I think that made him even more excited, to be honest with you.” …It wasn’t a ploy to get media attention, believe me.

Now, Redick is preparing for his first season with the Lakers. His first regular season game as head coach will be October 22 at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves.