Mike Krzyzewski’s achievement-filled coaching career at Duke could grow much richer this season, with two more significant records within reach.
With 12 victories, Krzyzewski can pass North Carolina’s Dean Smith for the most total victories by a coach in ACC history.
And with 35 victories, Krzyzewski can move past his old Army coach, Bob Knight, for the most wins all-time by a major-college coach.
Smith’s record could fall as early as Dec. 29, when Duke will play its 12th game, against UNC Greensboro in the Greensboro Coliseum.
Duke could play 41 games this season if it plays in all four rounds of the ACC Tournament and all six rounds of the NCAA Tournament, so Knight’s mark could topple in March or April.
Setting the records will mean only one thing to Krzyzewski — he has been around a long time, having hit age 63.
“It means I’m alive,” Krzyzewski said, breaking into a smile, “and I’m still doing what I love to do.
“They’re not goals for me. Number of wins, number of championships are not goals. If they are, I don’t think you do as good a (coaching) job.”
Duke won its fourth NCAA Tournament championship under Krzyzewski last season, tying him with the late Adolph Rupp of Kentucky for second place on the list for career titles. The late John Wooden of UCLA is the all-time leader with 10 titles.
Krzyzewski has 868 wins in 35 seasons, the past 30 at Duke and the first five at Army. Smith amassed 879 wins in 36 seasons at UNC. Smith also leads in ACC wins, with 422 to Krzyzewski’s 358.
Knight had 902 wins in 42 seasons, mostly at Indiana. Smith’s wins are the second most of all-time, and Rupp’s 876 wins in 41 seasons at Kentucky are third.
Krzyzewski said he has only one concern this season, and that’s making this Duke team the best that it can be to contend for the ACC’s regular-season and tournament championships and play in the NCAA Tournament.
He wants to make sure that Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith finish their careers in strong fashion, after they decided to come back to school and not enter the NBA Draft.
“You have to be consumed with the group you have,” Krzyzewski said. “The fact that I have Kyrie Irving, that’s a neat thing for me. I don’t know how long I’ll have Kyrie Irving, but we’re in Kyle’s and Nolan’s senior year.
“It’s important for me to be in their moment, not them to be in some historical moment. We really took that approach last year. I thought we were pretty adamant about it, especially in March when people said we had a chance to win a fourth (title).
“I never wanted to talk about a fourth. Scheyer, Zoubek, Lance and those kids can’t identify with four, but they can identify with one. That’s where I’m going to be.”
Smith and Singler have played on Duke teams that have given Krzyzewski 93 wins. Both realize how close Krzyzewski is to the records of Dean Smith and Knight, and Nolan Smith said he will be honored to be on the team that helps topple one or both records.
“It will definitely say a lot about everything that Coach has done,” Smith said. “He always has a winning program, even in the so-called down years. He keeps it coming. He keeps the guys motivated.
“His secret is his. He just finds a way.”
Nolan Smith said that Krzyzewski has changed as a coach in his three seasons. He is confident that Krzyzewski’s work with USA Basketball, as coach of the U.S. National team, has made him a better coach and has energized him for Duke’s seasons.
Singler was satisfied to play a part in hanging a fourth national-championship banner in Cameron Indoor Stadium, but he also would like to play in the wins that would move Krzyzewski past Dean Smith and Knight.
“Since I made my decision to come to Duke, I knew that I was going to be playing for a legend,” Singler said. “Coach K is that.
“It’s a special thing when you’re able to experience something like that. You know that you weren’t there for all the wins, but you definitely feel like you’re a part of it. And that’s a special thing to be a part of.”
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement