Longtime Duke University head coach Mike Krzyzewski has decided to retire following the upcoming 2021/2022 college basketball season, reports Jeff Goodman of Stadium (via Twitter). Coach K has helmed the Duke program since 1980, and has been key in ushering in the era of one-and-done college players and collegiate recruiting battles.
During his tenure as head coach, Krzyzewski led the team to five national titles and 12 Final Fours, and with two potential top freshman on next year’s roster in Paolo Banchero and AJ Griffin, he will look to end his storied career with one final title run.
Goodman also reports that assistant coach Jon Scheyer is the leading candidate to replace Krzyzewski. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirms (via Twitter) that Scheyer is considered Duke’s coach-in-waiting.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- As fan-related incidents continue to occur around the league, the NBA has instituted new measures in an attempt to prevent fan misconduct, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. These policies include: encouraging teams/arenas to pursue legal recourse against such actions, enhanced security, and a “code of conduct” message to be broadcast multiple times throughout the game.
- Former Jazz point guard Nigel Williams-Goss has agreed to a two-year deal with Real Madrid, per Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 6’2″ point guard played 15 games for PBC Lokomotiv Kuban in Russia this season, averaging 17 points and 5.9 assists while shooting 46% from three.
- Although the Celtics are the only team with a head coach vacancy so far this summer, there are plenty of enticing first-time head coach options available, writes Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN. Among them: Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups, Will Weaver, and Darko Rajakovic. Arnovitz uses present success stories to detail what front offices are looking for in a first time head coach and what attributes can make them successful.
- Now that the first season of the Basketball Africa League has ended and Egypt’s Zamalek has been crowned champions, the league is looking ahead and planning its 2022 season, writes Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. “The biggest triumph? Maybe it was just making it to reality,” BAL President Amadou Fall said, regarding the first season of the new league. “Just a long time coming and just being the culmination of many decades of work and engagement by the NBA across the continent, committed to growing the game. And now, it has established a complete pathway for basketball development from grassroots to elites and just league.” Those in and around the league are hoping that as the BAL grows, it will attract more and more viewers and participants from around the country. Though none of the players this season are expected to draw attention from NBA teams, Fall expects that to change soon. “This is the first time that this league is here,” Zamalek’s Walter Hodge said upon receiving the Hakeem Olajuwon MVP award. “And it’s going to be here for a long time.”
Coach K to the Celtics
It would just be a chance to disappoint.
IMO, that was actually a funny thought, but not the level of a joke.
Can’t believe he just retired. This is huge. Can’t see Duke being the same now. Wow this is big to me. Also I can’t see him coaching in NBA. I can see him as part of management in some capacity. Definitely can help a franchise. MJ should bring him in. Keep him in same area.
if MJ is gonna bring a legendary, freshly retired ACC head coach to Charlotte it would probably be Roy Williams since he’s the guy that recruited MJ to UNC & all
Why would a North Carolina alumnus hire Coach K to coach his team?
Why not, what’s college got to do with making money. MJ can use the help. And they go way back since he’s coached him in Olympics. Why wouldn’t a North Carolina legendary coach be welcomed in North Carolinas only pro basketball team. Like saying West can’t go to Warriors or Clippers.
Coach K never coached MJ in the Olympics, Bobby Knight was coach in 84 & Daly was coach in 92. College has alot to do with it, idk if you ever heard of a lil something called the UNC/Duke rivalry?
Are they even legally allowed to continue playing college basketball if Coach K isn’t involved? Wow…
I’d imagine he’s just going to walk away from the game completely. If anything, he might have some sort of honorary “advisor” role at Duke, and no doubt Scheyer or whoever is well aware he can call Coach K for guidance any time he pleases. Can’t imagine K has any interest in jumping to the NBA, and at this point being on any college court sideline but Duke’s would be too much to process!
Lakers give Vogel another year to try and run it back, then give coach K the keys.
No he is going to Boston it’s basically guaranteed
The BAL was formed in 2019, started by FIBA and US sponsors including the NBA. Covid soon hit, but it seems to have recovered. (Wiki, espn, HR, etc)
At least 8 of the 12 players on the teams have to be from the country of the team, and 2 more max from another BAL country. Only 2 foreigners allowed per team.
The BAL replaced the ABL (African Basketball League), which claimed to be FIBA, but FIBA denies it now that they’re in BAL. Anyway, no more ABL. The ABL was all about establishing an economic platform, which it did. But the BAL promises more connections Out Of Africa. (pun)
There is an expectation that NBA involvement means there will be a pipeline from the BAL to the NBA. Also, that the NBA will never have a US national requirement.
There are numerous national BB leagues in Africa. Young African men there can dream continentally-sized already… but precocious talent will likely skip it anyway… go to American academies or HSs if not colleges, which are respected internationally… like what happens now.
It sounds smart to better organize a continent’s worth of basketball with an entity that can keep it’s eye on FIBA while at the same time engage FIBA and its sanctioning. Also, the NBA is probably as corruption-resistant as any governing body. Good idea, I guess a good start.
Then a week ago “NBA Africa” was announced to “oversee” all NBA activity in Africa. This can go in many directions. Grant Hill and Mutumbo, oh no. “NBA legends” in charge of anything.
Luke wrote about NBAA, “… a new business investment entity that will oversee the league’s business endeavors in Africa… as the league tries to expand its presence in key African markets.”
IDK what is worse, if the American influence is lefty or righty or new-lefty with Mutumbo waving his finger at people… but nothing is free.
link to sports.yahoo.com
Who ???? Don’t know anything about him.
Will he last 41 yrs . Is the question
And he got hired anyway!
still upset with him leaving home and signing with duke. everyone does it anyway though. looks like he made the best decision ever. always rooting for the homegrowns.