Kobe Bryant was part of the United States men’s basketball team that won the gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. It was labeled the “Redeem Team,” and its mission was to reclaim the gold the 2004 squad failed to bring home from Athens.
The 2008 Olympics were Mike Krzyzewski’s first as U.S. head coach, and he quickly helped put any criticisms involving team chemistry stemming from 2004 to bed. His leadership was a huge part of that, and Bryant praised it via Twitter after Coach K won his third gold medal with a 96-66 victory over Serbia on Sunday.
Bryant also won gold with Coach K in 2012, and he’s one of many current and former Olympians to praise Krzyzewski for his work with USA Basketball over the last eight years.
San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich soon will take over for Coach K at the helm of Team USA, but the Duke legend certainly has left quite an Olympic legacy.
Thumbnail photo via Jeff Swinger/USA TODAY Sports Images
