Coach K returns to guide Team USA

Yet he believes there is more to be done, which is why he has decided to return as Team USA’s coach.

Krzyzewski, a Hall of Fame coach from Duke, was formally introduced Tuesday at a Wynn Las Vegas news conference as Team USA’s coach for the 2012 Olympics in London as well as the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey.

He said the reason he came back was simple — he liked what he was doing, who he was doing it with and who he is doing it for.

“You don’t turn your back on opportunities like this because you never know if they’ll be there again,” Krzyzewski said. “The gold medal you can put away. But you don’t put away your relationship with your country. You don’t put away your relationship with the world.

”We felt the work wasn’t over and the truth is, the work is never over.

“Our goal is to make it even better. We’ve got our entire staff back, which I’m thrilled about. And many of the players who were with us in Beijing are excited about coming back. Our goal this time is to win the world championship and win the gold in 2012 (in London).”

LeBron James, one of the veterans from Team USA who is expected to return for 2010 and beyond, summed it up for the players when he said in a statement: “Coach K and the assistant coaches were a perfect fit in 2006-2008 and I’m confident they’ll be a great fit for 2010-2012. We worked together for three summers and we all developed a great respect and chemistry that was very important in the successes we achieved.”

Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball managing director, said he wanted Krzyzewski to return, but he didn’t want to pressure him into a decision. The two have talked for several months since returning from China and the deal got done a few weeks ago in the wee hours in a Chicago hotel.

“We were at the bar and we were talking and we met up with some of the Toronto Raptors,” Colangelo said. “All of a sudden, it’s 2 a.m., the bar was closing, so we grabbed a bottle of wine and went to the lobby to talk. We had some pizza and by 4 a.m., we agreed that Coach K would be back.

“We don’t have term limits at USA Basketball. You just keep going.”

It was four years ago today that Colangelo and Krzyzewski were in Las Vegas.

Colangelo was trying to convince Krzyzewski to coach Team USA for the 2006 Worlds and the ’08 Olympics. Then he put on a full-court press, taking Krzyzewski to Michael’s, one of the city’s most upscale restaurants, for dinner.

“It was a surprise to him that I offered him the job,” Colangelo said, reminiscing about July 22, 2005. “But I said it then that he was the right man at the right place at the right time for the job and that’s still the case today.”

Krzyzewski said he remembers that dinner meeting. “I knew Jerry was serious when he picked up the check,” Krzyzewski said with a laugh.

Krzyzewski and his coaches — Mike D’Antoni, Nate McMillan and Jim Boeheim — will attend the three-day mini-camp which begins Thursday at Valley High School and culminates with the USA Basketball Showcase intrasquad game Saturday at the Thomas & Mack Center. Krzyzewski said he’s excited to get going on his second tour of duty.

“It’ll be different,” he said. “It’s a new gold medal to pursue in 2010 and a new gold medal to pursue in 2012. I’ve got the support of my family and my family at Duke. I’m 62, but I’m still energized and I still want to do this.”

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.