Doyel: Team USA NEEDS Coach K!

"...it's a Coach K thing -- and his stuff works with elite players. Why? I don't know; I'm not an elite player. But Kobe Bryant is, and before the 2008 Olympics he said he had been waiting years for the chance to play for Coach K. After the 2008 Olympics? Bryant shared a short conversation he had with Krzyzewski, a conversation that had him primed to produce.

"He wanted me to be who I am -- be a scorer," Bryant said. "I never had a coach come up to me and say, 'I want you to shoot it -- shoot it, shoot it, shoot it.' But that's one of the things he stressed to me: 'We want you to be who you are.'"

Said LeBron James, after the 2008 Olympics: "I'm not sure what makes Coach K the right guy -- but he is. I've played for a couple different coaches on the USA team, and he just fits perfect for us."

http://www.cbssports.com/columns/sto...ch-without-him

Wow, I'd hate to see how many shots Kobe would be putting up right now if his coach actually gave him the green light

"He wanted me to be who I am -- be a scorer," Bryant said. "I never had a coach come up to me and say, 'I want you to shoot it -- shoot it, shoot it, shoot it.' But that's one of the things he stressed to me: 'We want you to be who you are.'"

I wouldnt be surprise if K said those same things to Rivers.

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Originally Posted by UrinalCake

Wow, I'd hate to see how many shots Kobe would be putting up right now if his coach actually gave him the green light

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Kobe averaged 23 fg attempts per game this year. No one else was over 20. Sadly, L.A. needed that from him.

I think Kobe is the best "tough" shot maker I've ever seen. Jordan could get open and knock down shots, or find more openings. I'd compare Melo to Jordan in that manner. But Kobe knocks down more double-hitched, awkward, fantastic shots than anyone.

I doubt Coach K will give Kobe the same advice this summer that. I think he'll preserve Kobe early so he's strong in the medal rounds if we need him.

I have to say even when Doyel's not bashing Duke or K, I still don't really care for his writing style. It's a little sloppy and short on any substantial takeaways. Oh well.

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Originally Posted by HaveFunExpectToWin

I have to say even when Doyel's not bashing Duke or K, I still don't really care for his writing style. It's a little sloppy and short on any substantial takeaways. Oh well.

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Yeah, Doyel has a long way to go toward repentence with this Duke fan, and we're not the only folks with gripes about him.

I do, however, think he has a point about Coach K and that the next Olympic coach will have a real challenge to keep the USA on top.
Of course, the 2012 Olympics have yet to be played, and we can't mark that in the win column just yet, but Coach K indeed deserves high praise for what he has done with the National team.

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Originally Posted by superdave

Kobe averaged 23 fg attempts per game this year. No one else was over 20. Sadly, L.A. needed that from him.

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Yeah, I was just sort of poking fun at the fact that Kobe made it sound like no coach has ever let him shoot before Coach K. I do disagree that LA "needed" Kobe to shoot so much. I haven't watched a ton of Lakers games but suspect they'd be better served giving the ball to their big guys a little more.

Anyways, I heard part of an interview on the radio yesterday where someone made an excellent point that the time commitment required to coach the National Team would make it really, really tough for an NBA coach to do it. Just think about this season - the NBA finals are barely over before training camp would begin. The rosters are actually due BEFORE the end of the NBA finals, so the coach could potentially be serving double duty for periods of time.

Even for a college coach, the time commitment would be prohibitive for most. Coach K is an exception in that he can lean on his assistants, and he's been doing it long enough that he knows how to maximize his time. The interviewee was arguing that we need someone to coach the National team full-time, like we do in soccer.

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Originally Posted by UrinalCake

Yeah, I was just sort of poking fun at the fact that Kobe made it sound like no coach has ever let him shoot before Coach K. I do disagree that LA "needed" Kobe to shoot so much. I haven't watched a ton of Lakers games but suspect they'd be better served giving the ball to their big guys a little more.

Anyways, I heard part of an interview on the radio yesterday where someone made an excellent point that the time commitment required to coach the National Team would make it really, really tough for an NBA coach to do it. Just think about this season - the NBA finals are barely over before training camp would begin. The rosters are actually due BEFORE the end of the NBA finals, so the coach could potentially be serving double duty for periods of time.

Even for a college coach, the time commitment would be prohibitive for most. Coach K is an exception in that he can lean on his assistants, and he's been doing it long enough that he knows how to maximize his time. The interviewee was arguing that we need someone to coach the National team full-time, like we do in soccer.

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Sounds good in theory, but I think the $ would be a big problem unless you found someone who wanted to do it as, essentially, a retirement job. The difference in pay between US team coach and, say, MLS coach has to be WAY less than the difference in pay between what could be offered a US basketball coach and what NBA or big-time college coaches make.

Does anyone have any idea how much Coach K is making for coaching the National Team? I'm really curious now. I think we could find someone who'd be willing to do it for the challenge and prestige. I don't think they'd do it for free, but I also don't think they'd need millions of dollars. Either a recently-retired NBA coach like Jerry Sloan or maybe even a former player with some coaching experience like Larry Bird or (gasp) Isaiah Thomas.

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Originally Posted by UrinalCake

Does anyone have any idea how much Coach K is making for coaching the National Team? I'm really curious now. I think we could find someone who'd be willing to do it for the challenge and prestige. I don't think they'd do it for free, but I also don't think they'd need millions of dollars. Either a recently-retired NBA coach like Jerry Sloan or maybe even a former player with some coaching experience like Larry Bird or (gasp) Isaiah Thomas.

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While reading through this thread, the same thought occurred to me. If there's not a college coach that can commit the time over the years... and even less so for an NBA coach. Then what about a retired coach, NBA or college. I was even thinking... when Coach K feels like the pressures, recruiting, etc of coaching Duke becomes a bit much, maybe he can commit full time to being the "national" coach. I would imagine that if that's the only thing on his plate, it might not be as stressful... and might even be fun for him, coaching the best of the best, for what, 1-2 months a year... for his country, no less. Maybe Coach Knight can "assist" too:cool:

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Originally Posted by gep

I was even thinking... when Coach K feels like the pressures, recruiting, etc of coaching Duke becomes a bit much, maybe he can commit full time to being the "national" coach.

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I think the general consensus is that Coach K will eventually take over for Jerry Colangelo as director of USA Basketball. The assumption is that he'll be at Duke for as long as he wants to coach, and when he's done coaching then the Director role would be a natural progression. But anything's possible.

So... When he retires from Duke in 2037, one his first duties as director of USA basketball will be selecting the coach for the 2040 Olympic games held in Hickory.

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Originally Posted by subzero02

So... When he retires from Duke in 2037, one his first duties as director of USA basketball will be selecting the coach for the 2040 Olympic games held in Hickory.

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My hometown hosting the olympics?...Awesome! The rest of the world would LOVE the Tap Room.

How about Hickory native Chris Washburn for USA Coach? What an ESPN-Ready story of redemption.