Mike Krzyzewski is the greatest coach of all time. With over 40 years of coaching, he has established a culture of winning and a tradition of excellence. His resume speaks for itself: a five time champion, 3 time coach of the year, 19 consensus All- Americans, 5 time Olympic gold medal winner, and the all-time winning coach with 1,099 victories.
Love him or hate him, what coach K has done for the game of basketball and for Duke University has made him the greatest coach of all time.
What sets Coach K apart from the others? Is it the beautiful Carolina skies? Is it playing in the ACC? There are three things that sets Coach K above the rest.
Adaptability
Since 1975 when he first began coaching, the game has evolved rapidly. The three point line has been implemented, defensive schemes have become more complex, and the One and Done phenomenon has taken root.
Duke used to be known for recruiting players and developing over a four year period. In 2010, the Kentucky Wildcats were wildly successful starting five freshman and made it all the way to the NCAA championship game.
The following year, Duke University would recruit better talent such as Kyrie Irving, Jabari Parker, and Jahel Okafor and implemented the One and Done strategy to their program. They were successful in 2015 bringing home the championship and continuing to stay relevant each year.
Passion
In February of this year, Coach K turned 71 years old and is still on the sideline. He has had numerous health issues with back troubles being his most recent struggle. Yet, each year he is still out recruiting, creating game plans, and developing young boys into men.
He has contemplated retirement before but has stated that every year as basketball season rolls around he gets goose bumps with excitement. His passion for the game can be seen as he paces up and down the court. His passion can be seen as his players famously slap the floor after sprinting back on defenses.
His passion can be seen when his former players go on to be successful in their field and always return to Cameron Indoor stadium to join the crazies cheering in the stands. His passion can be seen within the culture he built at Duke, an Ivy League school known primarily for their academic excellence, into a basketball powerhouse.
Integrity
Coach K states that when he goes out to recruit, he shakes the player’s hands and looks them in the eyes before giving them an opportunity to play at Duke. He tells them what it means to be a Duke Blue Devil and that they must work hard to gradually get better during their time at Duke.
Coach K believes in having integrity and giving 100% effort not only on the court but off the court in the community and the classroom. This integrity and accountability was also instilled in the USA Men’s basketball Olympic team. They were tasked not only with keeping teammates accountable but keeping coaching staffs accountable at their pursuit of greatness.
In closing, I admire Coach K. He is the greatest basketball coach ever and continues to set an example of excellence for future coaches to replicate in their organization. I just wish I liked Duke as much as I like Coach K. If you could ever separate the two, you would gain a better appreciation for the program he has built as he nears another chance for winning it all in 2018 NCAA Tournament.
