Using Team USA’s ‘$500 Million’ Payroll, Mike Krzyzewski Claims Players Don’t Love The Game As They Used To

Often regarded as the greatest college basketball coach of all time, Mike Krzyzewski has coached and developed players who are now star-level athletes in the NBA. Having been around the game since the early 70s and 80s, the former head coach of Duke recently spoke about the love that seems to be lost in players for their sport.

Making an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, the 77-year-old Hall of Famer used the current Team USA’s payroll as an example of what may be the reason behind players losing love for the game.

“The salaries and these guys deserve it; of our Olympic team for next year, our guys on it, are something like $500 million. When you combine for the year…On the Dream Team, it was $35 million for the whole team…You didn’t just play for money. They loved the game.”

Mike Krzyzewski and Dan Patrick were initially discussing some of the earlier greats like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. This conversation led the former Duke head coach to conclude that those players were not in it for the money but due to their love for the game.

Coach K praised the older legends, specifically Bird and Magic. But as he cast doubt over the current generation’s love for the game, Mike did credit Kevin Durant as one of the few who possesses that same love he had witnessed in players back then.

“Durant loves the game. If he’s walking by the gym, he’s gotta go in and shoot. He’s got to play every day. And I wish that I would see that more in the young players.”

Though Krzyzewski did not coach KD during his college days, he did see greatness in the making at an early stage. And that is why Coach K can attest to Durant’s love for the game.

Even the Phoenix Suns star had often voiced his attraction to the sport.

“When I first stepped on the court and my first game plan, like it was so easy to me, I was like, ‘Oh, sh*t. I like doing this. I want to do it every day’. And then I started working out and getting better and better. And then I started, like, seeing my friends go and do other sh*t. And I was the only one working out.”

Talking about his early high school and college days, Durant fell in love with the game the very first time he stepped foot on the court. And over the course, while his friends were busy doing other things, KD was in the gym, putting the work in to get better and make it big.