A coach, a teacher, a friend

By BRYAN STRICKLAND : The Herald-Sun
rbs@herald-sun.com
Sep 30, 2001 : 3:43 pm ET

DURHAM -- Growing up in a gritty section of Chicago, Mike Krzyzewski never allowed his childhood dreams to tower above the tallest skyscraper in the city.

But slowly, as hard work and God-given ability helped him turn his modest dreams into reality, Krzyzewski came to believe that the sky was the limit.

Still, to this day, Krzyzewski's dream life hasn't caught up with his real life.

Krzyzewski once dreamed of playing college basketball; he went on to play point guard and serve as team captain at Army.

He dreamed of coaching a team to the Final Four; to date, he's reached nine Final Fours, including three trips that resulted in national championships.

Friday, Krzyzewski will be bestowed with the highest individual honor that his sport offers -- induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

For Krzyzewski, it isn't a dream come true; it's a reality beyond comprehension.

"I've never dreamed of this," said Krzyzewski, who officially will join the Hall of Fame at a ceremony Friday night in Springfield, Mass., the birthplace of basketball. "When I grew up, the culture I grew up in was great, but it was limited dreams based on socioeconomic restraints. ... You could never think to dream past a certain limit.

"It's almost as far-fetched as me being the lead in a movie -- unless it was "Scream 2" or something like that. It's just one of those things that can't happen."

Based on Krzyzewski's remarkable record of success, it had to happen.

-- Krzyzewski has a career coaching record of 606-223, including a 533-164 mark at Duke. In his 21 seasons as the Blue Devils' coach, the average record is 25-8 annually.

-- With Duke's victory over Arizona in the 2001 NCAA Championship game, Krzyzewski became just the fourth coach to win three or more national titles.

-- Krzyzewski has a 56-14 record in NCAA Tournament games, ranking second to Dean Smith in tournament victories and second to John Wooden in winning percentage among coaches with 20 or more games.

-- Krzyzewski ranks third in Final Four appearances with nine. Seven of the Final Four appearances came over a nine-year period.

-- Krzyzewski has been named national coach of the year in eight different seasons. The NABC named him Coach of the Decade for the 1990s.

Those accomplishments and others undoubtedly will be mentioned during Friday's induction ceremony, but they won¡¦t likely be mentioned by Krzyzewski. He doesn't plan on patting himself on the back; he plans to pat others on the back.

"We're always a product of the aid that we've been given and the love that we've been given," Krzyzewski said. "I try to tell our players that all the time. Don't ever think that your journey is going to be a singular one. You've got a lot of people on your train who are good. There have been a lot of people on my train, and this is a way to recognize them.

"I would hope that my family, my assistants and my players feel like they¡¦re in the Hall of Fame."

Beyond the obvious -- his immediate family -- Krzyzewski was surrounded by positive influences in every walk of his young life. His early interest in athletics, especially basketball and baseball, drew him toward coaches, and he developed an appreciation for coaching beyond that of a typical teen.

"In high school, my goal was to be a teacher and coach because the people who had the most influence on me were teachers," Krzyzewski said. "Then I was able to go to the [U.S. Military] Academy, and at the Academy I learned that being an officer was being a teacher and a coach, where you were coaching not a sports team, but you were coaching a unit.

"That's the way I lettered when I was in the military for five years -- whatever unit I was in, I tried to organize a team. That's when I said, 'I've got to do this.' "

Having known from an early age his lot in life, Krzyzewski quickly developed a dogged passion for coaching.

At times, that passion spills over into anger. Col. Tom Rogers, an assistant coach at Duke from 1981-87, recalled walking into the locker room for halftime of a game, only to be struck by a flying stool intended for the chalkboard.

But most of the time, Krzyzewski's passion spills over into more positive outlets -- like his relationship with his players. Krzyzewski has always made his players a part of his extended family, and that has relationship usually extends well beyond the players' four years in a Duke basketball uniform.

"I think the reason he's able to sustain things is that he picks kids and makes them a part of his family," said Jimmy Oxley, who played on the Army basketball team with Krzyzewski. "Rather than separating from them or making it an us-against-him situation, it's a family atmosphere that he creates."

The Duke family was fully on display on Aug. 24, when former players returned in droves for the first Duke Basketball All-Star Charity Game. Players talked about returning to their home away from home, and even Corey Maggette and Will Avery, players who didn't leave Duke on the best of terms, showed up for the game.

Following the game, players gushed about their days at Duke. Trajan Langdon called his choice of Duke one of the best decisions of his life; Tommy Amaker said that other than asking his wife to marry him, opting to play for Krzyzewski was the best decision of his life.

"I've been very fortunate to know him," former national player of the year Grant Hill said. "I consider him a coach, I consider him a teacher, and I consider him a friend.

"Even when I'm done playing and he¡¦s done coaching, we'll still have a strong relationship, and that's what it's all about."

When Krzyzewski's coaching career is done, he won't reminisce about his records; he'll reminisce about those who helped him establish the records. That's also the plan Friday, when Krzyzewski takes the podium to join the Basketball Hall of Fame.

"I think primarily I would talk about the relationships I've had -- the people who have helped me and hopefully the people that I¡¦ve helped," Krzyzewski said. "Always personal stuff, rather it be Wojo running the court to give you a hug, Battier at the end of the championship game giving you a two-minute hug and breaking your back and crying -- I've had so many of those.

"I'm really lucky. I know that I am. As a result of being in those situations, it's produced a career that warrants recognition in the Hall of Fame."