Tag: Mike Krzyzewski

WATCH: Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski praises, roasts Jayson Tatum in recent reunion

Tatum’s coachability was held up as a model for Duke players at a recent game, even if they were maybe hoping to see Duece more.

Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum recently caught up with his former college coach from his time with the Duke Blue Devils basketball program when they came to town to play a local team, the Boston College Eagles, and found himself the focus of a pregame speech by his former mentor and legendary NCAA head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Holding up Tatum’s time at Duke and what he has done since with his amenable reaction to being coached hard, Coack K — as Krzyzewski is called as a nickname — encouraged his current players to follow the example of the St. Louis native in their own role for the team and moving forward in life if they want to truly help their team.

It’s an inspiring speech (and Coach K even gets in a Deuce joke) you should check out yourself, so we have done you the solid and embedded it below for your viewing pleasure, courtesy of the Duke Men’s Basketball Twitter account.

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Coach K recalls one particular Littlejohn memory on his way out

As Mike Krzyzewski makes the rounds one last time in the ACC, Duke’s Hall of Fame coach tries not to get nostalgic. “You lose some mind space as you get old,” the 74-year-old said. “There’s only so much room, so you’ve got to focus on (the …

As Mike Krzyzewski makes the rounds one last time in the ACC, Duke’s Hall of Fame coach tries not to get nostalgic.

“You lose some mind space as you get old,” the 74-year-old said. “There’s only so much room, so you’ve got to focus on (the present).”

No. 7 Duke handled Clemson on Thursday to win Krzyzewski’s final game coaching inside Littlejohn Arena. But just before walking out of a place he’s been bringing his teams for more than 40 years for the final time, Krzyzewski admitted there’s one Littlejohn memory that sticks out.

That was less than a decade into Krzyzewski’s tenure at Duke when the Blue Devils squared off against Cliff Ellis’ Tigers in a top-15 matchup on Jan. 24 1987. With Tommy Amaker, Danny Ferry and Billy King headlining Duke’s roster and the frontcourt tandem of Horace Grant and Elden Campbell suiting up for Clemson, both sides had their share of star power.

At 6-foot-11 and 6-10, respectively, Campbell and Grant were of particular concern for Krzyzewski and his assistant coaches.

“We’re warming up, and they have Elden Campbell and all these 6-10, 6-11 guys,” Krzyzewski recalled. “And I look at my staff, and I say, ‘All right, you’re in a playground and you don’t know anything about these two teams. Who are you going to pick? I’m going to pick those guys.’”

Krzyzewksi’s team didn’t have an answer that night for Grant, who poured in 33 points. But 19 Clemson turnovers helped the Blue Devils rally from a 13-point deficit in the second half and force overtime on a 3-pointer from Amaker that hit the front of the rim, bounced high off the backboard and fell through the hoop.

Duke outscored Clemson 13-11 in extra time to pull out a 105-103 win, snapping the Tigers’ 17-game winning streak at the time.

“We had this hellacious game, and Tommy threw a shot that hit about 18 things up there and went in,” Krzyzewski said. “And we won.”

Krzyzewski, who will retire at the end of the season as the all-time winningest coach in Division I basketball, went 22-12 in games played at Littlejohn Coliseum during his 42 seasons as Duke’s coach. Thursday’s win was just Duke’s second in its last five trips to Clemson.

“We’ve got our butt beat here, too,” Krzyzewski said. “It’s all good.”

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Coach K taken aback by Clemson’s ‘really nice’ gesture

Mike Krzyzewski’s final game inside Littlejohn Coliseum was a memorable one for Duke’s Hall of Fame coach, and it had to do with more than just one last road victory over Clemson. Before the Blue Devils finished off the season sweep of the Tigers on …

Mike Krzyzewski’s final game inside Littlejohn Coliseum was a memorable one for Duke’s Hall of Fame coach, and it had to do with more than just one last road victory over Clemson.

Before the Blue Devils finished off the season sweep of the Tigers on Thursday, Clemson recognized Krzyzewski with a surprising pregame announcement. The school revealed it will donate $5 for each of Coach K’s career wins — 1,117 and counting — to the Emily K Center, a non-profit organization founded by Krzyzewski in the Durham, North Carolina, area.

“It was a really nice thing,” Krzyzewski said afterward. “I didn’t know they were going to do that for the Emily K Center.”

The Emily K Center, named after Krzyzewksi’s later mother, Emily, was opened in 2006. According to the foundation’s official website, the core of its mission is to “build on the academic, career, and leadership potential of students who are traditionally underrepresented in higher education.”

“I have the ultimate respect for Clemson,” said Krzyzewski, the son of Polish immigrants.

Clemson coach Brad Brownell said the idea of the donation came after he spoke with his athletic director, Graham Neff, to discuss what might be the best way to honor Krzyzewski before his final game coaching inside Littlejohn Coliseum. Krzyzewski is retiring after this season following a 46-year coaching career, the last 42 of those at Duke.

“I know (Neff) called around and talked to some other folks in the league,” Brownell said. “I don’t know what every school did, but I think this is something a couple of schools have done for sure and I thought it was appropriate.

“I don’t think we needed to get him a Clemson chair or something like that. He’s fine. And Coach doesn’t play a lot of golf, I don’t think.”

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‘He feels awful’: Krzyzewski, Brownell discuss Collins’ hard foul

Mike Krzyzewski’s final visit to Littlejohn Coliseum as Duke’s basketball coach ended up good for the Blue Devils and bad for Clemson. Duke’s 18-point victory also included an ugly sequence. With the Blue Devils leading 27-20 with a little more than …

Mike Krzyzewski’s final visit to Littlejohn Coliseum as Duke’s basketball coach ended up good for the Blue Devils and bad for Clemson. Duke’s 18-point victory also included an ugly sequence.

With the Blue Devils leading 27-20 with a little more than 3 minutes left in the first half Thursday, Wendell Moore Jr. stripped David Collins and took off the other way for a dunk. Collins, in hot pursuit, undercut Moore mid-flight, causing Duke’s junior guard to crash to the hardwood beneath him without being able to brace his fall.

The hard foul combined with Moore’s subsequent hard landing drew an audible gasp from many of the fans watching inside Littlejohn Coliseum, and Moore stayed down for a few seconds. Krzyzewski sprang out of his chair on the Blue Devils’ bench as the foul drew the ire of Duke’s coaching staff. Moore eventually got up under his own power and walked it off, but after video review, Collins was assessed a flagrant 2 foul and ejected from the game.

Brownell said “the last thing we’re trying to do is hurt anybody,” adding it was a moment in which his frustrated senior guard let his emotion get the better of him.

“He’s a very competitive player,” Brownell said. “And I think he thought he got fouled on the play down there (on offense), so he’s fighting like crazy to get back in the play. And then he makes the wrong play. “

Collins explained the play from his vantage point and issued a public apology in a post to his Instagram account immediately following the game, but he expressed regret to Krzyzewski well before that. Before Collins left the court, Brownell walked him over to Duke’s bench so he could apologize to Krzyzewski, who called it “one of the most dangerous plays I’ve ever seen” because of Moore’s body being parallel to the ground at one point during his fall.

But Duke’s Hall of Fame coach had no hard feelings afterward. He gave Collins a hug before Collins headed to the locker room early.

“(Brownell) is good people, and his kids are good people,” Krzyzewski said. “We didn’t want that to escalate, so the fact he brought him and we did some interaction, I thought that was really good.

“You put it behind. And Brad apologized after it, and I said, ‘Please, let’s just move on.’”

Brownell said he took Collins over to Krzyzewski so he could apologize to him in person. As for the play itself, Brownell opined he didn’t think Collins had any bad intentions, particularly considering Collins had been on the receiving end of a similar foul two days earlier in Clemson’s loss to North Carolina.

“Obviously we take a lot of pride in how we do things in our program from how we play to who we are on and off the court, and so it was certainly a situation,” Brownell said. “Ironically, the same play happened to David against North Carolina. He got fouled hard, and there was a flagrant 1. He just had that happen to him, and I thought he got hurt. So he was very emotional with it.”

Brownell said he also made Collins apologize to his teammates after Clemson had to play the last 23 minutes and change without their leading rebounder and third-leading scorer. Already playing without injured forward Hunter Tyson, the Tigers allowed 44 points in the second half with Collins unavailable.

“He feels awful,” Brownell said. “Not only does he make a bad play that puts somebody in danger, but he also isn’t there for our team. If you’re his teammate, we don’t have him for the last 26 minutes. And we need him. We need him to guard (Duke point guard) Trevor Keels, (AJ) Griffin and their bid-bodied guys. We’re out there with our little guards with guys like that, and it’s a problem.

“It’s a teaching moment. It happens.”

A flagrant 2 foul doesn’t come with an automatic suspension, so Collins would be able to return to action Saturday when Clemson hosts Notre Dame unless Brownell decides to hand down his own suspension. As for Moore, he bounced back to play 19 minutes in the second half, though all eight of his points came in the first.

Krzyzewski said Moore is “good” physically and is expected to suit up for the Blue Devils when they play Boston College on the road Saturday.

“I hope he’s good,” Krzyzewski said. “We’ll see tomorrow after the plane ride and all of that. It’s best to move on.”

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Revisiting some of Clemson’s most memorable home games against Duke in the Coach K era

The rematch between Clemson and Duke won’t be any ordinary game. The teams’ first meeting came a little more than two weeks ago when Duke pulled out a two-point win at Cameron Indoor Stadium. When they square off again Thursday for the second and …

The rematch between Clemson and Duke won’t be any ordinary game.

The teams’ first meeting came a little more than two weeks ago when Duke pulled out a two-point win at Cameron Indoor Stadium. When they square off again Thursday for the second and possibly final time this season, it will be Mike Krzyzewski’s last time coaching inside Littlejohn Coliseum.

Duke (19-4, 9-4 ACC) holds a 24-39 all-time advantage in games played at Littlejohn Coliseum, most of those coming during Krzyzewski’s four-decade run in charge of the Blue Devils’ program. Clemson (12-11, 4-8) has defended its home court better of late against Duke and its Hall of Fame coach, who’s retiring after this season. Clemson has won three of the last four games played against the Blue Devils on its home court.

With Krzyzewksi set to make his final stop at Clemson as part of his ACC farewell tour, here’s a look back at some of the Tigers’ most memorable home games against Krzyzewski’s Duke-led teams:

Feb. 25, 1981: After being hired away from Army in March 1980, Krzyzewksi, then just 34 years old, brought his first Duke team into Littlejohn a little less than a year later for what turned into an instant classic. The game went to overtime on a late free throw from Duke’s Gene Banks, but Larry Nance scored 17 points, including the final four in overtime to lift Clemson to a 54-52 win. That Clemson team finished its season in the National Invitation Tournament.

March 2, 1988: By the late 1980s, Krzyzewksi had Duke on the precipice of becoming the blueblood program it is today. Unranked Clemson was coming off a 36-point loss at North Carolina to close out the February portion of its 1987-88 season, but the Tigers, thanks in large part to freshman star Dale Davis, looked like a different team against the ninth-ranked Blue Devils. Davis had 23 points and 17 points to lead Clemson to a 79-77 upset, which started a string of three straight home victories for Clemson over Krzyzewksi’s team.

Jan. 7, 1997: In the first meeting between Clemson and Duke as top-10 teams, overtime was needed to determine a winner after the Tigers erased a six-point deficit in the final 61 seconds of regulation. Terrell McIntyre had a team-high 17 points for Clemson, which iced the victory on a dunk from Greg Buckner with 0.5 seconds left in extra time. Clemson was assessed a technical after fans prematurely stormed the court in celebration, but it didn’t matter in an 86-82 victory. Rick Barnes’ team advanced to the Sweet 16 that season.

Feb. 4, 2009: Clemson and Duke met again as top-10 foes, but this one wasn’t nearly as competitive. With the energy of the home crowd behind it, Oliver Purnell’s team dominated from the opening tip, leading by 12 at the half en route to a 74-47 rout. Trevor Booker finished with 21 points and eight rebounds, Terrence Oglesby knocked down five 3-pointers, and K.C. Rivers added 11 points and seven steals to help lead Clemson to the eighth-largest margin of victory over an ACC opponent in program history. It doubled as the Tigers’ first home win over Duke since the 1996-97 season.

Jan. 13, 2016: Clemson had already lost six times in the first two months of the season while Duke brought in the No. 6-ranked team in America. By the time it was over, though, the Blue Devils left Littlejohn with their third loss. Clemson overcame a 12-point deficit in the first half and got 33 combined points from Donte Grantham and Jaron Blossomgame, who threw down a baseline dunk with 13 ticks left to give Clemson a three-point lead. The Tigers held on from there for a win over a Duke team that made the Sweet 16 that season.

Jan. 14, 2020: Fresh off an Elite Eight run the previous season, Duke entered this matchup as the nation’s third-ranked team after winning 15 of its first 16 games. Clemson came in just one game above .500 on the season, but a career night from Aamir Simms helped the Tigers spring a 79-72 upset. Simms poured in 25 points on 10 of 15 shooting while grabbing nine rebounds, and Alabama transfer Tevin Mack scored 22 points of his own against a Blue Devils team that led the nation in average margin of victory at the time (21.5 points). It matched the highest-ranked win Clemson has ever notched over Duke.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports

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In Coach K’s last visit, Duke humiliated North Carolina in historic fashion

What a way to honor the Duke legend.

Mike Krzyzewski’s time as a college basketball coaching titan was cemented long ago. When you win five Men’s National Championships and qualify for 12 Final Fours, you’re practically synonymous with the sport. Krzyzewski is to the Duke (-3.5) men the way Geno Auriemma is to the Connecticut women, or even Lombardi is to the Green Bay Packers. He’s an unmitigated and virtually unchallenged icon.

Among his many accomplishments, perhaps the most impressive achievement of Krzyzewski’s college basketball coaching career was keeping pace with fellow blue blood, ACC rival North Carolina. Since taking over in 1980, the two men’s programs have sparred back and forth for the better part of four decades. And the venom between those was always genuine.

Be it Tar Heel fans letting the visiting Blue Devils have it in Chapel Hill, or vice versa in Durham: Packed, tense games defined this rivalry through almost all of Krzyzewski’s tenure. There was nothing like Duke-North Carolina. Nothing.

On Saturday afternoon, Krzyzewski’s No. 9 Blue Devils happened to visit Chapel Hill for the last time with him as coach. And North Carolina fans let a man, who has stood in the way of so much glory, indeed have it one last time.

Now the question was whether North Carolina — in the middle of a down year under first-year head coach Hubert Davis — could back up the chestiness of the crowd. Surely, even amidst struggles, Duke-North Carolina would have one last classic battle in the Dean E. Smith Center with Krzyzewski watching.

Right?

Wrong. So very dead wrong.

In the midst of an 87-67 blowout victory, four Blue Devils (A.J. Griffin, Wendell Moore Jr., Paolo Banchero, Trevor Keels) all finished with double figures. A game that should’ve and probably would’ve had a little more drama in other years, had the air slowly sucked out of it by a staunch Duke team. Whatever resistance the Tar Heels mustered up, Duke had an answer every single time.

It was 31-8 Duke to start, and the Blue Devils never lost the lead: Only the second time that has ever happened in the last 20 years of this storied rivalry.

Oh and if that weren’t enough, it was the fourth-largest road win, ever, for Duke against North Carolina. Grant Hill, Christian Laettner, Jahlil Okafor: Any rebuttal?

What started as a night of unkind (to say the least) boos for the coaching legend, ended in a forced curtain call where Krzyzewski’s Blue Devils made the most hostile environment possible their home away from home. There might still be a tournament or two to play, where Krzyzewski and Duke makes their voice heard. But let’s be honest.

Muted, stunned Tar Heel silence. What a way to go out on top.

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Duke involved in recruitment of Bronny James

The Blue Devils remain “involved” in the ongoing recruitment of four-star 2023 combo guard and high school basketball phenom Bronny James, according to recent reports from 247Sports and On3 Sports. James, the elder son of NBA superstar and current Los Angeles Laker LeBron James, has long been connected to the program given his father’s strong relationship with Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. James and Krzyzewski grew close while winning consecutive gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Summer Olympics, and James, in a 2018 Instagram comment, described Krzyzewski as “the absolute best,” adding that “(I) hope he’s still at the helm when my boy comes up.”

Hall reacts to Coach K’s comments

PJ Hall was the apple of Mike Krzykewski’s eye during Clemson’s men’s basketball team’s first matchup with Duke last week. After the Blue Devils escaped with a two-point win inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke’s Hall of Fame coach heaped praise on …

PJ Hall was the apple of Mike Krzykewski’s eye during Clemson’s men’s basketball team’s first matchup with Duke last week.

After the Blue Devils escaped with a two-point win inside Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke’s Hall of Fame coach heaped praise on the Tigers’ sophomore big, calling Hall “the most improved player on the planet” in addition to a future pro following his 14-point, 10-rebound performance in the loss.

Hall said Monday he’d yet to hear Krzykewski’s comments in full but was taken back when they were brought his attention.

“That’s a huge compliment coming from one of the biggest games ever in basketball,” Hall said. “He’s having his last go-round and having a great year. He’s got some great pieces on that team.

“I saw an interview, and he said something about (Duke freshman forward) A.J. Griffin starting a Bible study with the team, and I loved that. So it seems like he’s got a great group of guys over there.”

Hall, Clemson’s leading scorer at 14.8 points per game, also returned the favor when it comes to compliments, though he was equally as taken back to learn Krzykewski was on his 47th and final season as a head coach, including the last 42 at Duke. Hall, who was born in 2003, guessed he’d been coaching for approximately 35 years.

“My gosh. I’m 19,” Hall said with a smile. “But he’s a legend. so that’s huge words coming from him.”

Hall and the rest of the Tigers will get a chance to exact some revenge against Krzykewski’s team when Duke makes the return trip to Clemson later this month, but the Tigers’ next game comes against Florida State on Wednesday at Littlejohn Coliseum.

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Notre Dame stinks it up in ugly loss to Duke

What can anyone really say about this one?

Notre Dame had a chance at its signature win of the season when it welcomed Duke to Purcell Pavilion. A sellout crowd was on hand hoping to storm the court in Mike Krzyzewski’s final game coaching in South Bend. Instead, the Irish were stymied by a tough Blue Devils and did themselves no favors offensively in a 57-43 loss. It was the lowest scoring output for the Irish since a 59-41 defeat at Georgetown in 2012.

The Irish (14-7, 7-3) shot a paltry 6 of 32 from the field in the first half (18.8 percent), missing from just about everywhere on the court, and never recovered. You especially can’t expect to do that when you go scoreless for the final four-and-a-half minutes of that half. Add in some big defensive plays throughout from the Blue Devils (18-3, 8-2), and this was a game that fell far short of the hype. While the Blue Devils didn’t shoot that great from the field either (39.4 percent), there was no way the Irish were going to win shooting 27.9 percent from the field against anyone, let alone a blue blood.

Paolo Banchero, expected to be one the first picks in this year’s NBA draft, led all scorers with 21 points. AJ Griffin supported Banchero well with 13 points. Both players grabbed nine rebounds, as did Theo Jon.

Paul Atkinson Jr. was the only Irish scorer to reach double figures (14 points). Although Nate Laszewski became the 67th player in program history to reach 1,000 points, his four points while shooting 1 of 5 from the field barely registered a blip on the radar. Blake Wesley shot 3 of 15, and Prentiss Hubb was 2 of 9. Worst of all, Dane Goodwin had an 0-of-7 showing and was held scoreless for the first time since his freshman season.

This was bad. Like, all of it was bad. Now, the Irish have to travel to ACC-leading Miami for a game that won’t be any easier. It’s back to the drawing board for Mike Brey and his staff.

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