“They have given a lot to USA basketball”: Duke legend Coach K talks about LeBron James and Stephen Curry’s 2024 Olympic gold journey

Mike Krzyzewski, aka Coach K, gave a lot to the game of basketball at the college and international level. He had the honor of coaching the nation's best star players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

While he wasn't part of the coaching staff that won gold in the 2024 Paris Olympics featuring both James and Curry, since he stepped down after the 2016 Rio Olympics, he acknowledged their successes for everything they accomplished as players of USA Basketball, during a conversation with basketball reporter Andy Katz.

"Both those guys had played for the United States," Coach K said. "LeBron had been on three Olympic teams before and won two gold medals. Steph, I had the honor of coaching him in two world championships in '10 in Istanbul and '14 in Madrid.

"And so Steph wanted to play because he wanted to win an Olympic gold medal and be on the team. But both those guys, Andy, they have given a lot to USA basketball."

Coach K's impact on Team USA

Coach K helped Team USA return to the level of success they were accustomed to after some disappointing results in the early-to-mid 2000s.

USA Basketball did not win gold in the 2004 Athens Olympics as well as the 2002 and 2006 World Cups. They settled for bronze in 2004, while finishing sixth and third in the other tournaments.

After being an assistant coach from 1984 to 1992, Krzyzewski returned to the team as head coach in 2005 and didn't look back. Under him, Team USA won the 2008 and 2012 Olympics with LeBron James on the roster, and the 2010 and 2014 World Cups with Steph Curry on the squad.

Taking gold medals in international competitions from 2008 to his last tournament in 2016 was a testament to his greatness as a head coach besides his dominance at the college level with Duke.

While he enjoys retirement from coaching, Coach K can feel free to praise the players who helped build his Hall of Fame resume to the way it is in the present day.