LeBron to Coach K: “There’s Only One ‘Chosen 1′”
We stopped by the NBA Store yesterday (52nd & 5th), where Coach Mike Krzyzewski told stories from his book, “The Gold Standard: Building a World-Class Team” (in stores now) about USA Basketball’s three-year commitment leading up to winning the gold in Beijing. After reading some excerpts to a group of students through the NBA Cares program, Coach K told some great stories about Team USA’s preparation - what he calls “team-building” - to win gold.
He said that LeBron James grew more than any other player during the three years they spent together on and off, and that LBJ gave a speech to the group about having “no excuses,” which truly set the tone for their run in Beijing. But their time together wasn’t all serious.
* Coach K said that he told LeBron that he was thinking about getting a tattoo. He was thinking about getting “Chosen 1″ inked across his back. LeBron laughed, and bent over, putting his arm around Krzyzewski. He then whispered in Coach K’s ear, “There’s only one ‘Chosen 1′.”
* He said that he was really close to taking the Lakers job about four years ago, and loved the idea of being able to coach Kobe Bryant. So when he finally did this summer, he knew it was going to be a treat. He wasn’t let down at all when in a one-on-one meeting, Kobe told him, “Coach, I want to guard the best player on the perimeter of every team we play.” He then paused, still staring Coach K in the eye, and then continued, “And I will destroy them.”
* But even Kobe had a lighter side. Coach K’s entire family was in this big room in Beijing where everyone ate. All of the players and their families came in there for meals, and in this instance literally every Krzyzewski was sitting down together. Bryant came in and said hello to everyone, and when he got to Coach K’s five-year old granddaughter Carly, Kobe said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He took her hand, kissing it, asked, “Can I call you princess?” Coach K said that she melted when he did that.
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:25 am
loc says:
She melted like Colorado snow in the Summer.
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:31 am
SayItAintSo says:
LOL @ Loc
Add pedofilia to the list, just below alleged rapist and just above greatest baller on the planet.
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:31 am
ticktock6 says:
Didn’t Paul Pierce have that tat before LeBron?
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:32 am
buffaloballa says:
only chosen one today is D. ROSE 2009 ROY…..
Dime is late again
that is all….
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
@loc and sayitaintso
That’s so wrong. Hilarious. But wrong.
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:38 am
Sweet English says:
anyone else noticed that Dwight just grabbed DPOY?
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:41 am
springz says:
I noticed but will anyone REMEMBER after Magic get knocked out in first round!?
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:59 am
Damon says:
lol @ Kobe:
“And I will destroy them.”
say what you want about him, but that fire is just awesome. if he only channeled it right all the time.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:04 pm
dagwaller says:
Lol @ loc!
I also got a few Rocky IV flashbacks when I read that Kobe quote.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:06 pm
hahns says:
kobe’s defense is overrated. good, but overrated
rudy’s dunk over dwight in the gold medal game was kobe’s fault.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:35 pm
mules says:
Look at it, princess. You know you want to touch it.
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:08 pm
@LakersNation says:
Offense is more talent, while defense is more about Sheer Will . . . no one in the league is more determined and focused than Kobe . . . for you celtic bandwagon fans (don’t get trampled too hard during your mass exodus this offseason) that say KG . . he’s more crazy than focused . . . and before you argue . . . go look up “focus” in the dictionary
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Dagomar says:
Can we just say Lebron and Kobe are amazing players and K is a hell of a coach? No need to hate, although comment #1 is priceless….
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Steve A says:
With posting those Quotes, it’s quite obvious DIME you were setting the Kobster up for any Colorado comments, and it worked.
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
rlf says:
all of you are SICK, to bring up something so stupid about kobe
we are talking about a 5 year old girl, how sick can you guys be? at least have respect for a child.
you guys should be ashamed.
April 22nd, 2009 at 3:40 pm
knock knock says:
lmao at saying kobe’s defense is overrated. LEBRONs defense is nonexisstant beside’s his sportcenter blocks.
April 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
doc says:
Kobe love the kids.
April 22nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Kevin says:
I hate Kobe, but the man is badass, straight up, just a baaad man
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Jon says:
Kobe wanted to guard the best player on every team but he gets burn all the time by them. I still remember the unknown player from Mexico that shook kobe a few times. I also remember Agent Zero dropping 16 pts on kobe in 5mins of OT to set an NBA record. Kobe is way overrated as a defender.
April 22nd, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Giacomo says:
i dont know if any of you guys caught it, but coach K was on the colbert report the other night, and i found it interesting that he openly supported lowering the age limit to allow players to go strait to the L after high school..
now maybe that was just empty rhetoric, but surely the opinion of one of the (arguably)greatest college coaches of all time has to carry some influence.
April 23rd, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Dave says:
is Kobe the guy who advertises in the LA weeklies that he’s the “funnest 6′6″ party clown your kids will ever meet?”
July 27th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Okene Edward says:
Kobe is just the best ball player in the world, and this is why he wants to guard the best out there, much luv man, you will bury them.