A Rat in the House: How Coach K is using USA basketball

[Matrim55]

Woj cuts through all the BS and talks about what USA Basketball really is at this point - a recruiting tool for Dook:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-ne...s-showcasing-only-duke-s-coach-044717393.html

Best passages:

The end's coming for USA Basketball's grip on the game in the States, but once change goes into effect come the 2018 World Cup, it won't matter much to Krzyzewski anymore. He still has two full summers of USA Basketball access left to him, and that'll make it a full decade of control. As one Duke alumnus would tell you: There is a USA Basketball storefront selling patriotism and duty with a backroom reality that peddles the Blue Devils and Nike swooshes.

and:

As long as Krzyzewski needs recruits at Duke, he needs USA Basketball. Why sit in the steamy summer-circuit AAU gyms trying to make eye contact with 16-year-olds, when you can use the media to write about all the close, personal relationships you've developed with LeBron and Kobe, 'Melo and Kevin Durant? Hey kids, Krzyzewski even texts them during the season – maybe sometimes right after he texts you!

 

[johnhuskies95]

Wojnarowski is just insufferable.

 

[dsturdy5]

And in the last decade he refers to (actually the last 8 years at this point), how has that worked out for Duke? One final four and national title and three first round exits.

 

[Kitaman]

This to mean is non-news. Any college coach in his situation would (and should) use it as an advantage. As for K he needs to.

UConn's coach only need to pick up the phone to establish NBA relationships, not use a contest to tout his access.

To me this is bigger news: linky

 

[huskyhaven]

This to mean is non-news. Any college coach in his situation would (and should) use it as an advantage. As for K he needs to.

UConn's coach only need to pick up the phone to establish NBA relationships, not use a contest to tout his access.

To me this is bigger news: linky

I posted this a few days ago thinking the same thing. He ain't stupid.

 

[HuskyBballFan]

I mean, it's clearly been a mutually beneficial arrangement for all parties. USA Basketball was a mess (all things considered) until this new regime took over.

Plus while rooting against Duke was always fun, it's even more fun when guys like Austin Rivers and Jabari Parker can't even get out of the first round.

 

[aceboon]

A bunch of nonsense imo, Woj has been sending shots at K on twitter ever since the Turkey game so its clear he had an axe to grind. Other than grabbing a coach off the street or internationally, who wouldn't gain an advantage in this situation? If its another college coach, he gets the same advantage as K, if its an NBA coach, they could potentially influence free agents to sign with them since they get familiar with their coaching style. It also seems weird that he's now going against K in favor of Cal, when Cal coached the Dominican team to get close to Karl Towns and ultimately land Karl Towns, yet I never read a hit piece on Cal like the one he just sent K's way. Also, as its been pointed out before, K hasn't done anything since he started landing one and done recruits, his last title was still one with the 4 year, veteran type guys like Nolan Smith, Scheyer, Singler, Zoubek, and Lance Thomas. Irving, Rivers, Parker, and Hood(a transfer, but still an elite 5 star who only played one year) have yielded nothing but embarrasing tourney losses, which makes his comment about them separating themselves from UNC false.

 

[noeynox]

Hey, he took a shot Boeheim as well. That makes it a good piece.

 

[mauconnfan]

Cal is everyone's fav now........these guys are so stupid it's beyond belief. Wish I could sell them some land and a few cars too, maybe some snake oil?

 

[Pudge]

I spent most of the last few hours confused. I though Woj meant the NEW Marquette coach; had no idea you were talking about Woj the guy from the Media who hates Calhoun & various other high profile coaches at the expense of ...

That Woj - miscreant. If it was Woj the Marquette Coach, that would be a story.

 

[James]

Woj def has an axe to grind. however, imagine if coach k were forced to ACTUALLLY coach 19-20 year olds vs grown men? it would be a debacle. When he is left with his duke staff, he can't beat terrible acc teams and mercer.

 

[CAHUSKY]

Woj def has an axe to grind. however, imagine if coach k were forced to ACTUALLLY coach 19-20 year olds vs grown men? it would be a debacle. When he is left with his duke staff, he can't beat terrible acc teams and mercer.

He has 10 final fours and 4 National titles doesn't he? Let's not lose our minds.

 

[uconnfan68]

He has 10 final fours and 4 National titles doesn't he? Let's not lose our minds.

It's a lot easier to get to when you have 4 home games first.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Woj cuts through all the BS and talks about what USA Basketball really is at this point - a recruiting tool for Dook:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba-ne...s-showcasing-only-duke-s-coach-044717393.html

Best passages:

The end's coming for USA Basketball's grip on the game in the States, but once change goes into effect come the 2018 World Cup, it won't matter much to Krzyzewski anymore. He still has two full summers of USA Basketball access left to him, and that'll make it a full decade of control. As one Duke alumnus would tell you: There is a USA Basketball storefront selling patriotism and duty with a backroom reality that peddles the Blue Devils and Nike swooshes.

and:

As long as Krzyzewski needs recruits at Duke, he needs USA Basketball. Why sit in the steamy summer-circuit AAU gyms trying to make eye contact with 16-year-olds, when you can use the media to write about all the close, personal relationships you've developed with LeBron and Kobe, 'Melo and Kevin Durant? Hey kids, Krzyzewski even texts them during the season – maybe sometimes right after he texts you!

There is a lot to hate Duke about, but this?? You really don't have to look much further than Storrs to find Geno using USA basketball to the same ends. It is what it is, I don't really think anybody is going to Duke because he coaches the national team.

 

[UConn3432]

A bunch of nonsense imo, Woj has been sending shots at K on twitter ever since the Turkey game so its clear he had an axe to grind. Other than grabbing a coach off the street or internationally, who wouldn't gain an advantage in this situation? If its another college coach, he gets the same advantage as K, if its an NBA coach, they could potentially influence free agents to sign with them since they get familiar with their coaching style. It also seems weird that he's now going against K in favor of Cal, when Cal coached the Dominican team to get close to Karl Towns and ultimately land Karl Towns, yet I never read a hit piece on Cal like the one he just sent K's way. Also, as its been pointed out before, K hasn't done anything since he started landing one and done recruits, his last title was still one with the 4 year, veteran type guys like Nolan Smith, Scheyer, Singler, Zoubek, and Lance Thomas. Irving, Rivers, Parker, and Hood(a transfer, but still an elite 5 star who only played one year) have yielded nothing but embarrasing tourney losses, which makes his comment about them separating themselves from UNC false.

It's irresponsible for Woj not to mention Cal coaching the Dominican team to lock up Karl Towns Jr. Also, Cal's Nike connections are probably stronger than K's. Other than that, it was an enjoyable piece of Pole on Pole crime.

 

[UCONN-NYC]

It seems people are forgetting who coaches the Womens National Team. If anyone thinks Geno hasn't used that as a great recruiting tool they are out of their minds.

 

[intlzncster]

A bunch of nonsense imo, Woj has been sending shots at K on twitter ever since the Turkey game so its clear he had an axe to grind. Other than grabbing a coach off the street or internationally, who wouldn't gain an advantage in this situation? If its another college coach, he gets the same advantage as K, if its an NBA coach, they could potentially influence free agents to sign with them since they get familiar with their coaching style. It also seems weird that he's now going against K in favor of Cal, when Cal coached the Dominican team to get close to Karl Towns and ultimately land Karl Towns, yet I never read a hit piece on Cal like the one he just sent K's way. Also, as its been pointed out before, K hasn't done anything since he started landing one and done recruits, his last title was still one with the 4 year, veteran type guys like Nolan Smith, Scheyer, Singler, Zoubek, and Lance Thomas. Irving, Rivers, Parker, and Hood(a transfer, but still an elite 5 star who only played one year) have yielded nothing but embarrasing tourney losses, which makes his comment about them separating themselves from UNC false.

Woj always has an axe to grind, and usually cloaks it under the guise of investigative reports. It's a shame because he's capable of writing a good column and doing solid investigative work.

He and Wetzel have always been Cal fan boys too.

 

[intlzncster]

It seems people are forgetting who coaches the Womens National Team. If anyone thinks Geno hasn't used that as a great recruiting tool they are out of their minds.

So Geno went from getting the top 1-5 high school girls every year....to getting the top 1-5 high school girls every year?

Maybe he's cutting down on recruiting travel expenses by scheduling visits while on the road with the USWNT. So kind of a recruiting tool.

 

[intlzncster]

There is a lot to hate Duke about, but this?? You really don't have to look much further than Storrs to find Geno using USA basketball to the same ends. It is what it is, I don't really think anybody is going to Duke because he coaches the national team.

I don't think any girls are going to UCONN because Geno coaches the NT either. The top 1-5 girls go to UCONN because they want to win multiple NCs and get drafted in the top of the first round.

 

[UCONN-NYC]

I don't think any girls are going to UCONN because Geno coaches the NT either. The top 1-5 girls go to UCONN because they want to win multiple NCs and get drafted in the top of the first round.

I agree with that. I'm just saying DOOK was pulling tops recruits before he was the coach of the National Team and he continues to do so now. I don't think there is a college head coach out there who would turn down that job as a side gig.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I agree with that. I'm just saying DOOK was pulling tops recruits before he was the coach of the National Team and he continues to do so now. I don't think there is a college head coach out there who would turn down that job as a side gig.

Right. It's not like Coach K wasn't already running the premier program in men's college basketball before he got the job.

 

[champs99and04]

I don't know if it's fair to say this is all a waste of everybody's time when several players on the last FIBA team had career years after participating.

 

[aceboon]

I don't know if it's fair to say this is all a waste of everybody's time when several players on the last FIBA team had career years after participating.

Seems like they're in a no win situation, after the 6th place finish in the 02 Worlds and then the bronze in the 04 Olympics, they get killed and the lack of organization in USA basketball gets called out as far as the roster construction and preparation. They get all that fixed, go back to obliterating teams, and now its "no one cares, send the college players, these games are meaningless". The critics want it both ways, but that's usuallly how these things go so its not too surprising.

 

[Fishy]

K and every college coach on that staff gains an advantage over UConn that they exploit whenever they can.

Remember that you're cool with it the next time UConn recruits against Duke, Florida, Syracuse, VCU, etc.

 

[seanmc94]

It's a lot easier to get to when you have 4 home games first.

Where were UCONN's first four games this year?