Report: Mike Krzyzewski Had Tense Relationship with LeBron James at 2008 Olympics

Mike Krzyzewski and LeBron James had to work on their relationship ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Ian O'Connor provided a breakdown of the Duke coach's transition to international basketball in a Sports Illustrated excerpt for his book Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski.

Krzyzewski was brought to Team USA to turn things around after a disappointing bronze medal in the 2004 Olympics, but he didn't do any better in his first opportunity as the Americans lost to Greece in the 2006 FIBA World Championship. LeBron was on both teams and was seemingly unsure of the team's direction.

Former Duke player Shane Battier said he was "absolutely sure NBA players were skeptical of Coach K, especially the guys who didn't play in college."

James skipped college and was five years into his professional career in the summer of 2008, coming off his second first-team All-NBA selection. He led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the NBA Finals one year earlier.

Krzyzewski clearly needed buy-in from LeBron going into the Olympics, but there was a particularly uneasy moment leading up to the first practice. The coach asked the superstar to speak to the team about expectations, and he thought he was going to be left hanging.

"We were close to ending the meeting, and this motherf--ker didn't speak up," Krzyzewski reportedly told a confidant about James. "I needed him to talk."

The person called it a "great power struggle" happening in the room as LeBron waited to speak.

James finally spoke up, saying Team USA needed to be a "no-excuse team" based on the world-class talent on the roster.

"Coach K just wore him down and established a trust," a coach said afterward.

There were other tense moments in the relationship—including LeBron calling on Coach K to keep Kobe Bryant in check when he was forcing shots—but the coach was able to prove his worth. By the end of the summer, the team brought home a gold medal.

With James, Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony and more on the roster, the team swept through the tournament in Beijing, China, winning all eight games by double digits.

Krzyzewski returned in 2012 to join forces with James and won another gold in London, England.