Duke Campus Breathes a Sigh of Relief

Mike Krzyzewski made his decision Sunday night, then slept on it.

On Monday, he made it official, announcing he was spurning the opportunity to coach the Lakers for a reported $8 million a year, to remain at Duke.

“The allure of coaching in college has no price,” said Krzyzewski, who made nearly $2.6 million last season. “It’s one of those priceless things. I’ve never made a decision based on what would make me the most money. It’s always been to me about what would get me the most happiness, and I’ve been very happy and fulfilled at Duke.”

And so this entire city breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The news of the coach’s decision to stay began to circulate around campus at midday. But unlike Thursday night, when students gathered for an impromptu vigil at Krzyzewskiville -- a small grassy courtyard behind Cameron Indoor Stadium -- there was no public demonstration of emotion.

There were, however, many people who were elated that their legendary coach, whose teams have appeared in 10 Final Fours since 1981, winning three, chose to stay at the school.

“His name is synonymous with Duke; he is Duke,” said Shannon Smith, a Duke Law School graduate.

At a late-afternoon news conference announcing his decision, Krzyzewski wore a dark blue blazer and light blue shirt. Joined at the head table by university President Richard Brodhead and Athletic Director Joe Alleva, the coach was the only one among the three not wearing a tie.

“It’s my L.A. look,” Krzyzewski said, laughing.

Krzyzewski, who signed a lifetime contract with Duke three years ago, said he was flattered to be approached by the Lakers, an organization he said he considered one of the best in sports. From the beginning, though, it was clear to all parties involved that money wouldn’t be the determining factor.

“There’s nothing a college could, or should, offer any coach of any sport in the terms that were being talked about,” said Brodhead, referring to the Laker offer.

Krzyzewski said that at first he didn’t think much of the talks he had with Laker General Manager Mitch Kupchak, which began in the days leading up to the NBA draft.

Things heated up June 27, when the coach had a phone conversation with Laker owner Jerry Buss, who was in Europe. Two days later, Kupchak traveled to North Carolina to meet with Krzyzewski. On Thursday, an offer was made.

One of the attractions for Krzyzewski was Laker free agent Kobe Bryant, who reportedly called the coach in an attempt to persuade him to accept the offer.

“I know Kobe.... Kobe and I are very close,” said Krzyzewski, who recruited Bryant out of Lower Merion High outside Philadelphia. “But the Lakers are a big organization, and this was not a Kobe Bryant-led movement or whatever.

“I was considering the Lakers whether Kobe Bryant was going to be there or not.... It would have been an honor to coach him or [Shaquille O’Neal], they are two great players in the history of the game. But overall, you make moves because of an organization and not because of one individual.”

In his talks with the Lakers, Krzyzewski received a crash course in the complicated off-season world of the NBA. Free agency was a topic, as was the challenge of putting together a competitive team while staying under the salary cap.

“We discussed personnel pretty in depth, but more so than just specifics because obviously in the NBA, this is an unbelievable time,” said Krzyzewski, who is represented by NBA veteran agent David Falk. “That’s why I didn’t want this process to go too long in respect to their busy time.... It was very educational for me.”

But not enough to coax him away. Krzyzewski will return to Duke for his 25th season and build on his 621-181 record there.

In his charge will be a group of relieved players.

“It is a great feeling that everything is OK,” senior Daniel Ewing said. “I definitely have more confidence knowing Coach K will be back with us. As a senior, there’s a certain security in knowing how things will run in my final season. Now, we can all focus on preparing and getting Duke better for next season.”

By staying at Duke, Krzyzewski, 57, figures to enhance an already significant legacy. If he coached 10 more years, he would have a chance to break the record for victories by a college coach owned by Dean Smith at 879 -- a record Bob Knight is expected to break first.

If Krzyzewski were to add two national championships to his three, he would pass Adolph Rupp and finish with more NCAA titles than any coach but John Wooden. Plus, Krzyzewski would have done it in the era of a 64-team NCAA tournament.

“You could make a case he would be the greatest college coach of all,” Connecticut Coach Jim Calhoun said, adding, “I don’t want to diminish John Wooden, because he is the greatest coach.” But, Calhoun continued, Krzyzewski “has a chance at Duke where someone could argue the point he was the greatest at what he did, like a Ted Williams or Joe DiMaggio.”

Evidence of Krzyzewski’s charitable work and influence is all around Durham. The Krzyzewski family donated $1 million to the Emily Krzyzewski Family LIFE Center, a Durham community center named after the coach’s late mother.

Mike and his wife, Mickie, donated $1 million to the university to endow a scholarship for a basketball team captain in honor of his brother, Bill, a retired Chicago Fire Department captain who never missed a day’s work in 38 years.

The couple also donated $100,000 to create the Krzyzewski Family Scholarship Endowment for Duke students from North and South Carolina, and the two have been honored for their fundraising for Duke’s McGovern-Davison Children’s Health Center.

On campus, the university named an ethics institute at the Fuqua School of Business after Krzyzewski last year, dubbing it the Fuqua/Coach K Center of Leadership and Ethics. In 1996, Duke put his name on a sports medicine/human performance lab, calling it the K Lab.

“Your heart has to be in whatever you lead,” Krzyzewski said. “It became apparent that this decision was somewhat easier to make because you have to follow your heart and lead with it, and Duke has always taken up my whole heart, no matter how good the option was.”

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Times staff writer Robyn Norwood contributed to this report.