Duke's Coach K defends Team USA job, says it provides no advantage

Duke's Mike Krzyzewski defended his position as the head coach for Team USA, saying at a press conference Thursday that it gives him no unfair advantage when it comes to recruiting.

Duke's Mike Krzyzewski defended his position as the head coach for Team USA, saying at a press conference Thursday that it gives him no unfair advantage when it comes to recruiting, according to the Raleigh News & Observer's Laura Keeley.

Krzyzewski's comments came in response to a column written earlier this week by Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowksi.

Wojnarowski asserted that only Krzyzewski stands to benefit from USA Basketball's relationship with the NBA. He wrote that Krzyzewski's ability to work with NBA players and travel to Team USA's developmental camps significantly aid his recruiting, while the NBA stands only to lose from players being put at injury risk. 

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Krzyzewski asserted that the NBA is fine with the arrangement and that any advantage that may arise through his Team USA work only comes from Team USA's success.

K ticking off notable Dukies pre-USA hoops, notes jerseys retired. None recently "it probably has hurt us in recruiting," he says to laughs

— Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) September 18, 2014

K notes that Duke lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament. "That wasn't an advantage, I don't think," he says.

— Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) September 18, 2014

"If you want to think that I used Paul George, you are a bad person." K

— Laura Keeley (@laurakeeley) September 18, 2014

The 67-year-old has served as Team USA's coach since 2006. He has led the team to gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics as well as the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cups.

- Ben Estes