But when his 42 illustrious years as head coach of the Duke Blue Devils taught him something, it is that nobody particular person can do all of it themselves.
“If you are going to have one thing that lasts for a very long time, you higher not be a singular pronoun group,” Krzyzewski tells CNN’s Poppy Harlow. “We have had a plural pronoun group, it is we, us, our.
“Then the folks which can be enjoying for you, or working with you, personal it. And in the event that they personal it, it is theirs. They do not work for, they’re. And that is the tradition that I feel we constructed.”
Affectionately generally known as ‘Coach Ok,’ the 76-year-old retired in 2022 having received 5 nationwide championships. His success and unmatched longevity has made his identify synonymous with faculty sport within the US.
A while away from the courtroom has given him extra time to mirror and admire the achievements each he, and his many groups, completed throughout virtually half a century of competitors.
However regardless of the accolades and tributes lauding him as one of many best coaches within the sport’s historical past, Krzyzewski has at all times remained humble.
“I’ve had alternatives that not all people has had,” he says.
“However they’ve additionally been alternatives backed by individuals who believed in me in order that when the chance did not look that good, they nonetheless caught with me and so [I’m] very lucky.
“I’ve by no means checked out greatness, I checked out success. And when you’re profitable lots, then somebody will name it nice.
“However when you begin out considering [you’re] nice, I do not suppose that is a great race to be in.”
Krzyzewski says preserving his ft on the bottom was made simpler by his three daughters and spouse, Mickie.
He says that regardless of being so extremely revered on the planet of basketball, his household by no means handled him as something apart from a husband and pop.
Because of this, basketball was avoided the home as a lot as attainable whereas his kids had been younger. Time for supper, for instance, was not occupied by chat about his work and trophies he had received weren’t displayed on the household house.
Krzyzewski credit his spouse, significantly, for injecting humility into him every time he wanted it.
“When my oldest was little there weren’t tapes, they had been reel to reel projectors,” he mentioned, explaining how he used to organize for video games at house.
“So I’d deliver that into the home and would watch on a clean wall.
[My eldest daughter] would watch with me, however when it was over, she used to love the white mild, after which we might do puppet figures.”
Significance of household
Household is and at all times has been essential to Krzyzewski.
Born right into a Polish-American household, he is aware of the significance of his final identify and is pleased with how nicely it’s now recognized throughout the nation.
He explains how his mother and father had been anxious that he would possibly face discrimination as a baby with a Polish identify and stopped him studying the language as a teen to keep away from him growing an accent.
He says his father used the identify ‘Kross’ as an alternative of ‘Krzyzewski’ and that the shortened model was written on his headstone when he died.
“We weren’t in a position to change that until my mother handed. After which my brother and I made positive it mentioned Krzyzewski,” he mentioned.
It is why the legendary coach was so proud that Duke College named the Michael W. Krzyzewski Heart — a state-of-the-art athletics facility — in his identify.
“I used to be lucky to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2001,” he added, getting emotional.
“One of many elements of the speech, and doubtless probably the most emotional, I [said I] wished my mother and pop had been right here tonight.
“It was emotional then, it is emotional now as a result of I’ve acknowledged simply the life that they had, that led to ensure me and [my brother] could be taken care of.”
It is protected to say the Krzyzewski identify will probably be synonymous with faculty sport for a lot of extra a long time to return.
Teaching the greats
Over his profession, Krzyzewski has had the privilege of sharing a follow courtroom with a few of the greats of the sport.
From Corridor of Famer Grant Hill to present NBA stars Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson and Kyrie Irving, he helped steer a few of basketball’s elite abilities.
He additionally coached the celebs of the NBA with the US males’s nationwide workforce on the Olympics, from Kobe Bryant and LeBron James to Kevin Durant and Chris Paul.
However he has by no means had any bother coping with massive egos, railing in opposition to the expression: “Go away your ego on the door.”
“Deliver the whole lot you bought. Deliver who you might be. Why would you permit one thing you might be?” Krzyzewski mentioned. “We must always make the room greater.”
In actual fact, he remembers one among his first follow classes with the US workforce wherein he noticed elite gamers adapting to different elite gamers all within the identify of success.
“Jason Kidd, first follow, our captain, Corridor of Famer, main a quick break drill. Dwyane Wade’s in a single lane, LeBron’s in one other. And the ball’s going in every single place,” Krzyzewski defined. “So, I deliver them collectively, like I do know we will not play like this.
“And earlier than I say something, J-Kidd says: ‘Coach, I am going to tone it down.’ And instantly, Kobe, LeBron. Dwyane mentioned: ‘No, no, no. We have by no means performed with you, with a expertise such as you. We’ll adapt to you.’
“It was one of many nice moments in my teaching profession the place I noticed expertise say: ‘Come on, expertise, give me extra.’ It is just like the piano participant telling the sax participant: ‘Come on, go. I can play the piano higher.’ And hastily, if you may get everybody enjoying with all their expertise …
“Why would not you need expertise to maximise? You understand and it doesn’t suggest it’s a must to hand over expertise to maximise. And if all that works collectively. Wow!”