As the legendary career of Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski nears its end, countless players and basketball personnel are speaking about the impact he made on their lives.
After Thursday’s loss to the Bucks, Kyrie Irving became one of the latest to honor Coach K.
(via SNY)
“Coach’s legacy on the game is really defined by all the lives he has impacted and, most importantly, the way he takes care of his family and he goes about his days. It’s not too many off days I see Coach K take, where that’s being in the community helping out or being in the locker room and being there for guys on the court and off the court. So, he’s gonna continue to build it and his years being in this culture, this game, he’s impacted so many lives and I’m just grateful I get to be one of those guys who gets to talk about it up here. He’s more than just a coach to me and to countless others.”
He also explained what the recruitment process was like:
“When he first recruited me when I was 16, 17 years old, I thought the guy was brilliant but I thought he was a little crazy. The way he approached things and how he got guys to buy in at the time. I was just an egotistical little kid at St. Patrick’s High School in Elizabeth and he makes everybody smile and I’m like this guy has gotta be crazy or incredibly, incredibly charming. He was both and that’s what I needed from a competitive coach to really get the best out of me.”
Kyrie Irving reflects on the impact of Coach K, and how he recruited him out of high school:
"He's more than just a coach to me and countless others" pic.twitter.com/q1CngBg7Y9
— Nets Videos (@SNYNets) April 1, 2022
Krzyzewski has an unprecedented coaching career. He has held the role since 1980, leading the Blue Devils to five national titles, 15 ACC tournament Championships, 13 Final Fours, and 13 ACC regular-season titles.
He coached Irving during the 2010-11 season, where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before falling to Arizona.
Kyrie would go on to become a star in the NBA, but he kept close ties with Krzyzewski, who would coach the point guard again in the 2014 and 2016 FIBA World Cup tournaments.
When Uncle Drew was drawing controversy for his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine, Coach K would make a public comment in support of his former player.
“I love Kyrie and he should follow his heart in what he’s doing and figure out how that impacts the group that he’s with and then you make decisions on what you feel is right, what you feel the group needs and so I hope that that’s what takes place but I’ll be behind him all the way.”
No matter your thoughts on Duke basketball or Coach K, it’s clear he leaves a strong impression on his athletes and builds relationships that extend beyond the game. Kyrie Irving is just one example.
With the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament continuing tomorrow, Coach K doesn’t have much longer to go. If they lose to North Carolina on Saturday, it will be the end of his coaching tenure. If he wins, Duke moves on to the National Championship game, where they can deliver Krzyzewski a Championship to close out his storied basketball career.
