Before retiring in 2022, Mike Krzyzewski, also referred to as Coach K, had been Duke’s head coach since 1980.

Even years after he stopped playing hoops, Krzyzewski and Duke are still closely associated. However, there was a time when that might not have been the case.

After the 2004 NBA Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons, Phil Jackson and the Los Angeles Lakers parted ways, necessitating the hiring of a new head coach. Krzyzewski turned down a sizable offer to succeed Jackson and stayed at Duke for almost twenty more years.

Dan Hurley just did the same thing, turning down the Lakers to stay at UConn. It will be intriguing to watch if Hurley can emulate Coach K with the Huskies or if he ends up regretting turning down the rumored $70 million, six-year contract.

Why did Krzyzewski decline Los Angeles’ generous offer? In response, Sporting News looks back on Krzyzewski’s tenure as Duke’s coach.

Krzyzewski claimed that because he listened to his heart, the decision to remain at Duke was rather simple. Though it may sound corny, that’s what kept him in Durham, North Carolina.

“Whatever you lead, your heart has to be in it,” Krzyzewski stated to the Gainesville Sun. “Duke has always taken up my whole heart, and it became evident that this decision was somewhat easier to make because you have to follow your heart and lead with it.”

When the Lakers lost to the Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals, they hoped that Krzyzewski would succeed Jackson.

With Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal leading the way, Jackson had won three titles in a row. Gary Payton and an aging Karl Malone joined the group to look for

At that point in his career, Krzyzewski had won three NCAA titles, and the Lakers had made him an alluring offer to switch from the Blue Devils to the purple and gold. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith claims that the agreement was for $40 million over five years.

By now Bryant had become a consistent MVP contender, and he was actively seeking a new coach, reportedly pushing for Krzyzewski.

A few years had passed since Krzyzewski inked a “lifetime” deal with the Blue Devils when the search began. His agreement kept him on staff at the college through at least 2011. Nor was it the first time the NBA had tried to recruit Krzyzewski. In 1990, he and the Celtics were on the verge of a deal.

In the end, Krzyzewski stayed on at Duke for the 2021–2022 season, winning two more titles to bring his career total to five.