WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

Wooden Will Be Surprised If Krzyzewski Leaves Duke

Jul 3, 2004

LOS ANGELES — John Wooden knows what Mike Krzyzewski is going through, having once been at the pinnacle of college basketball and approached by NBA teams.

Wooden, who knows Krzyzewski but has not spoken with him about this matter, said he expects Coach K to stay at Duke.

Krzyzewski met with Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak on Thursday to discuss the NBA team's coaching vacancy, created with the announcement June 18 that Phil Jackson would not return next season.

Coach K was at the beach Saturday discussing a job offer from the Lakers with his family. Kupchak reportedly offered Krzyzewski a multi-year contract that would pay $8 million a year and make him the highest-paid coach in professional sports. Those who know the coach have said his final decision will not be based on the money.

Krzyzewski's compensation package at Duke pays a reported $1.6 million annually. He signed a lifetime contract with the school three years ago.

Duke officials said they will do whatever they can to keep Krzyzewski.

"I'd be very surprised if Mike Krzyzewski took the job with the situation he's had there," the 93-year-old Wooden said. "He wouldn't leave, I don't think, for financial reasons.

"I would be very surprised to see him take the job. But I was very surprised to see Mike Montgomery take the job he took, too. So I guess you shouldn't really be surprised."

Krzyzewski has a 621-179 record in 24 seasons at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to NCAA championships in 1991, 1992 and 2001. Under the 57-year-old Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils have 10 Final Four appearances, eight Atlantic Coast Conference tournament championships and 10 conference regular-season titles.

"Everybody loves (Krzyzewski)," "Wooden said. "He has a great situation there. He gets the cream of the crop, some of them, every year. Success breeds success. Good players want to go there. It's a fine university.

"You just have to consider him, and not because of the championships, one of the best there's been in the collegiate game."

Montgomery left Stanford in May after 18 years at the school to become coach at Golden State, signing a four-year, $10 million contract. Like Krzyzewski, he never has coached in the NBA.

Wooden coached UCLA to 10 NCAA championships in a 12-year span before retiring in 1975. The Bruins were 620-147 in 27 seasons under Wooden.

He said he was approached several times by NBA teams but never considered leaving UCLA.

"Not once," he said. "I don't think you have real control. Owners have complete control. They're going to favor a star player over a coach. The only thing that was ever enticing was the money.

Wooden said that unlike most college coaches, Krzyzewski would command respect in the NBA. But he added that Krzyzewski's strength as a coach -- teaching -- would not be as significant.

"He's one of the best teachers of the game," Wooden said. "When you go into the pros, you don't do as much teaching. You've got to teach them a particular philosophy. You're not going to be able to change their fundamentals too much."

Wooden said he has much respect for Krzyzewski.

"A few years ago, when I was there (in Durham) for the McDonald's All-Star game, he invited me to speak with his team," Wooden said. "I thoroughly enjoyed it. I could see how he conducted his practices. Very impressed, indeed, I was.

Former Houston Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich was believed to be the leading candidate for the Lakers' coaching job until the news concerning Krzyzewski surfaced. Jesse Brown, Tomjanovich's business manager, refused comment Friday.

Best selling author and Duke graduate John Feinstein said that if Coach K leaves, "his legacy will not be the same as if he coaches 10 more years and ends up winning more games than any college basketball coach in history."

All of this became a story when the Lakers simply asked Kobe Bryant who he would like to coach the Lakers. The former Duke recruit turned back to Krzyzewski. The Lakers made a call on Monday.