Legends of the game mini-series: Dancing with the devils

The beginning: Born and raised in Chicago, Coach K was a hooper from the beginning. He took up the sport early in life before going on to play collegiate ball at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (aka Army).

• Krzyzewski completed his mandatory military service after graduation, coaching service basketball teams for three years and Army’s prep school team for two. He resigned after obtaining the rank of Captain in 1974. Coach K just has a better ring to it.

Early coaching days: In 1975, Krzyzewski was offered a graduate assistantship at Indiana University under his former Army head coach (HC), the volatile and controversial Bob Knight. Coach K considered Knight a mentor although their friendship would sour over time.

• Coach K’s first stint as a collegiate HC came when he returned to Army in 1975. He’d coach the Black Knights for five years, finishing his time there with a winning record, highlighted by a trip to the 1978 National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

At the helm: It was at Duke though that Coach K would become a collegiate coaching legend, but it wasn’t smooth sailing from the start. Because of his relatively unassuming résumé, Krzyzewski was a surprise selection as the Blue Devils’ HC. With three losing seasons in conference play to start his tenure, Duke’s climb to the pinnacle of NCAA basketball didn’t happen overnight.

• Rather, the squad’s meteoric rise didn’t start until Coach K’s fourth season at the helm, which ended in a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. And their stay at the summit endured, punctuated by Krzyzewski amassing the most wins in Division I men’s basketball history.

• And his success wasn’t limited to the collegiate court. Coach K won three Olympic gold medals as the HC of the U.S. men’s national team, including helming the 2008 “Redeem Team” that ushered in an era of American international hoops dominance.

The legacy: Many have compared Coach K’s coaching philosophy to that of the late, great John Wooden because of his holistic approach to the game. He believes that winning is a byproduct of “communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring, and pride.”

• At the time of his March 2022 retirement, Coach K’s coaching tree included over 20 former players or assistants working in collegiate or pro basketball, while 25 former Blue Devils played in the NBA last season.

1,202: The number of wins Krzyzewski tallied during his collegiate coaching career, the most in NCAA men’s basketball history. He’s one of only three coaches to eclipse the 1,200 mark and the only men’s HC to do so.

Five: The number of national championships Coach K won over his illustrious 42 years helming the Blue Devils to go along with 13 Final Four appearances.

101: The men’s NCAA record total of NCAA Tournament wins amassed by Duke during Coach K’s tenure. March is for dancing with the (Blue) Devils.

127: The number of weeks Coach K’s Duke teams spent ranked No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll.

472: Duke sold out their basketball arena, Cameron Indoor Stadium, 472 consecutive times under Coach K, a streak that dates back to 1990. They don’t call it Krzyzewskiville for nothing.

30: The number of NBA Lottery picks (aka the top 14 picks in the draft) that played for Coach K — the most in NBA Draft history since the lottery system was implemented — including current NBA superstars like Boston Celtic Jayson Tatum and New Orleans Pelican Zion Williamson.

“Coach K is one of my favorite coaches, if not my favorite. I had an opportunity to play for him multiple times, and his ability to connect with players from all different shapes and sizes and age groups, it’s unbelievable.”

— Four-time NBA MVP and 20-time All-Star LeBron James, on his experience playing for Coach K at the Olympics. A gold-medal winning combination.

“There was a timeout in the second half. And I could see it: the body language was bad on the court…And [Krzyzewski] comes back to the huddle, and all he says is — he looks at each kid — and he says, ‘I hate your f—— faces. Your f—— faces suck.’”

— Duke’s all-time leading scorer, JJ Redick, on his collegiate coach’s brutal honesty. Yes, the language was, erm, colorful, but the message was clear — Coach K championed body language in his coaching philosophy and knew how to motivate every single player on his team.

“Coach K is a legend in our sport, really in our country — when you look at the impact he’s had on the game… I have a lot of respect for what he’s been able to do over time. It’s hard to do something once, it’s really difficult to do it over four decades and to do it at that high level… I’m excited to have another year to be around him to watch him coach and teach.”

— Duke women's basketball HC and former WNBA star Kara Lawson, on the opportunity to learn from Coach K before his retirement. Sustained success doesn’t happen by accident.

Much like his jet-black hair, Coach K’s hoops legacy withstands the test of time. From the awe-inspiring awards and accolades to his continued work with the Blue Devils, Krzyzewski’s legend status remains intrinsically tied to Duke basketball. Putting the Blue in “blue bloods.”