GO FOR 2

Duke Men’s Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is “likely” to return as the couch of the USA Men’s Olympic Basketball team, according to USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo. This will again raise the question of whether or not Coach K’s double duty is having a negative impact on the Blue Devils. The short answer: Yes.

Rivals.com columnist Jason King argues that the exposure that Coach K brings to Duke because he is the Olympic coach is a positive thing for the school, and more than makes up for the time he is gone. This is one of the most common arguments in favor of Coach K doing both jobs, and its completely wrong. First, look at the basis of that entire argument: it brings more attention to the school. Seriously? More attention…to the Duke Blue Devils? Its not like this is Davidson or George Mason we’re talking about, Duke is a 3 time national champion and 6 time runner up who plays in the ACC, college basketball’s premiere conference. The last thing Duke needs it attention, what they need are players. There isn’t a recruit out there who doesn’t know about Duke’s history, that Coach K is a well respected coach, and that the highest level of exposure and best competition is in the ACC.

The problem is that there are a slew of storied programs with great coaches in the ACC, Pac-10, and Big 12….and their coaches are on the recruiting trail spending time with these kids. There are a small handful of the super-hyped one-and-done stars out there, and all those kids wants is some exposure to get as high up the draft board as possible. That’s just a fraction of the recruits out there though, everyone else wants to work with a coach, be a part of a program, and have a chance to win a national championship. For those kids, they want to know there’s a coach there who cares about them and cares about the program. Coach K is a legend at Duke now, his job is safe unless he really messes up bad, and everyone knows it. So when recruits are talking to an assistant coach, because the head coach doesn’t have time to visit them, what does that say? It says that Coach K isn’t devoted to the program or to his players, and those players go to UNC, ‘Zona, UCLA, Kentucky, Memphis, and on and on.

Photo Courtesy of Flickr.com/rwr (Creative Commons Licensed)

The bottom line is that coaching two teams doesn’t affect Krzyzewski’s ability to coach at all, but it affects his ability to recruit. In college, recruiting is everything, because one or two good players can’t carry you (Even ‘Melo needed help in Syracuse from two other players who would be drafted, and he’s as good as anyone to play in college in the last decade). So its undeniable, Coach K’s stint with USA Basketball does affect Duke’s program. So what does it mean in the wrong run? Well Duke made the sweet sixteen last year (in a weak field) for the first time since 2006, and the boosters are still pouring their money into Cameron Indoor – so in the short term Coach K is safe. But if the recruits don’t improve, some ACC titles and wins against rival UNC don’t start appearing, and one or two more first round NCAA Tournament exits happen, then Coach K is going to have to make a choice – and it will be interesting to see what that is.