At an Olympic press conference in Dallas, Mike Krzyzewski announced that this year will be the last time he coaches Team USA in international competition, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.
Stein tweeted on Monday:
At Olympic press conference in Dallas, Coach K announces that “this is the last time” he plans to coach Team USA in international comp
Krzyzewski has been through it all with the men’s national basketball team. He was an assistant coach with the “Dream Team,” and led the “Redeem Team” to the gold in Beijing. He’s won three gold medals as a head coach for Team USA, including the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, the 2008 Olympics and the 2010 FIBA World Championship.
While Team USA has fallen in terms of dominance since the early ’90s, 2008 and 2010 were both very strong showing for America. With the team just starting to return to form, it’s ironic that this is the last time Krzyzewski will lead the red, white and blue before calling it quits.
It’s crazy to think that Coach K’s run with Team USA has almost come to an end. He’s been with the team in some capacity since the 1984 Olympics. He’s not only a great coach at Duke, but also he’s become a model for Team USA basketball, exemplifying the poise and leadership fit to represent our country.
Who knows where the men’s national team will go after Krzyzewski steps off the sideline. Will it continue its recent surge and remind us of the great teams in the ’90s, or will it stumble upon more hard times, unable to fill the void left by Krzyzewski? We’ve been so accustomed to seeing Coach K representing Team USA that it doesn’t seem natural for him to be absent.
While it will certainly be a bittersweet exit, Krzyzewski will leave a legacy for Americans to be proud of, and hopefully a blueprint for the team’s success in the future.
Ryan Rudnansky/Bleacher Report
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