07-01-2004, 04:09 PM
DURHAM, N.C. - Duke Director of Athletics Joe Alleva confirmed today that Mike Krzyzewski, the Blue Devils' head men's basketball coach for the past 24 seasons, has been approached by the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association regarding the team's head coaching vacancy.
"Consistent with our special relationship, Coach K has informed us that the Los Angeles Lakers have contacted him and entered into serious discussions to fill their vacant head coaching position," said Alleva. "We have long believed that Mike is the best coach in the country. The Lakers' interest in him merely confirms what we have known. We hope that Mike will decide to stay in college coaching at Duke, a place that has been so special to him throughout his outstanding career. Mike has been an incredible asset to our institution and on a much larger scale, to the sport of college basketball. President Brodhead and I met with Mike for dinner the other night to express at the highest level our desire for him to finish his coaching career at Duke."
Krzyzewski has been Duke's head coach since the 1980-81 season and in 24 years has led the Blue Devils to three national championships (1991, 1992 and 2001), 10 Final Four appearances, eight ACC Tournament championships and 10 ACC regular season titles. He has compiled a 694-240 record in 29 seasons and a 621-179 record in 24 years at Duke. Included in those totals are 64 NCAA Tournament victories, the second-most by a coach in NCAA history. Coach K has been named National Coach of the Year by various outlets 13 times in nine different seasons. His Duke teams have reached the No. 1 national ranking in 12 different seasons, including each of the last seven years.
Off the court, Krzyzewski has been an integral part of the Duke, Durham and basketball communities. He has worked with the Duke Children's Classic, Duke Children's Miracle Network Telethon, the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research and the NABC Foundation. Krzyzewski and his wife Mickie cochaired the successful $32 million campaign for the McGovern-Davison Children's Health Center, which opened at Duke in the spring of 2000. In 2001, the Krzyzewskis created an endowed scholarship fund and have led fund-raising efforts to raise scholarships for Duke undergraduates from North and South Carolina. He also serves as the chairman of the Emily Krzyzewski Family Center, a local community center named after his mother located near the Duke campus. In 1997 the university recognized Krzyzewski's leadership by awarding him Duke's highest honor - the University Medal - for his many contributions to the university. In November 2001, Duke extended Krzyzewski a lifetime contract.
"Consistent with our special relationship, Coach K has informed us that the Los Angeles Lakers have contacted him and entered into serious discussions to fill their vacant head coaching position," said Alleva. "We have long believed that Mike is the best coach in the country. The Lakers' interest in him merely confirms what we have known. We hope that Mike will decide to stay in college coaching at Duke, a place that has been so special to him throughout his outstanding career. Mike has been an incredible asset to our institution and on a much larger scale, to the sport of college basketball. President Brodhead and I met with Mike for dinner the other night to express at the highest level our desire for him to finish his coaching career at Duke."
Krzyzewski has been Duke's head coach since the 1980-81 season and in 24 years has led the Blue Devils to three national championships (1991, 1992 and 2001), 10 Final Four appearances, eight ACC Tournament championships and 10 ACC regular season titles. He has compiled a 694-240 record in 29 seasons and a 621-179 record in 24 years at Duke. Included in those totals are 64 NCAA Tournament victories, the second-most by a coach in NCAA history. Coach K has been named National Coach of the Year by various outlets 13 times in nine different seasons. His Duke teams have reached the No. 1 national ranking in 12 different seasons, including each of the last seven years.
Off the court, Krzyzewski has been an integral part of the Duke, Durham and basketball communities. He has worked with the Duke Children's Classic, Duke Children's Miracle Network Telethon, the Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research and the NABC Foundation. Krzyzewski and his wife Mickie cochaired the successful $32 million campaign for the McGovern-Davison Children's Health Center, which opened at Duke in the spring of 2000. In 2001, the Krzyzewskis created an endowed scholarship fund and have led fund-raising efforts to raise scholarships for Duke undergraduates from North and South Carolina. He also serves as the chairman of the Emily Krzyzewski Family Center, a local community center named after his mother located near the Duke campus. In 1997 the university recognized Krzyzewski's leadership by awarding him Duke's highest honor - the University Medal - for his many contributions to the university. In November 2001, Duke extended Krzyzewski a lifetime contract.
