Christian Laettner hopes to return to the NBA as a coach.

"Basketball is my passion," Laettner said. "It's one of the things in life I love the most. If you can't play anymore because you're too old and your knees kill, you've got to do something to get on the court, so you get out there and start coaching."

Laettner, who previously ran his own basketball academy in Jacksonville, Fla., currently works as an assistant coach for the D-League Fort Wayne Mad Ants.

"When you're working with a 14-year-old, you've got to work on something for a month or two before they get it," Laettner said. "With D-League players, you just have to tell them one time, and they're instantly doing it. So it's a lot more gratifying."

Laettner has considering coaching in the college ranks, but believes he's better suited for the professional game.

"The recruiting part of it is very demanding and a lot of work," Laettner said of coaching at the college level. "I'd rather work on team building and player development. So I like the pro ranks a little better, I think."