Mike Krzyzewski
On October 28, 2005, USA Basketball officially announced that Mike Krzyzewski had been named head coach of the USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team program for 2006-2008.
Joining forces with USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Managing Director Jerry Colangelo, USA Basketball's Senior National Team program during the three-year period between 2006-08 compiled a striking 36-1 overall win-loss record and just as importantly reestablished the USA team as positive ambassadors for the United States and the sport.
The USA squad culminated the quadrennium by finishing 8-0 to reclaim the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the USA's first gold in a major international competition since 2000. Among the 12 teams at the '08 Olympics, Krzyzewski's team finished ranked first in 11 of 19 team statistical categories, and ranked second in another four. The USA's 27.8 ppg. margin of victory is the most since the 1996 Olympic squad won by an average margin of 31.7 ppg. In preparation of the Olympics, the USA squad finished 5-0 in its series of exhibition games held in Las Vegas, Macao, China, and Shanghai, China.
With Krzyzewski at the helm, the 2007 USA team rolled over the competition at the FIBA Americas Championship 2007 in Las Vegas, Nev. The USA squad finished 10-0 to claim the gold medal and an Olympic qualifying berth.
In winning 10 games in 12 days, the USA averaged 116.7 points a game, the most by a men's senior national team since 1994 USA World Championship Team averaged 120.1 points a game; and defeated its 10 opponents by an average of 39.5 points per game, the largest margin of victory by a senior squad since the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team defeated its opponents by 43.8 points a contest.
The USA led the FIBA Americas Championship overall team statistical rankings in 13 of the 17 categories, and rewrote eight USA team records for Olympic qualifying action and added a pair of single game marks, while USA players wrote themselves into eight single game records and four competition records.
In 2006 he directed the USA in the FIBA World Championship in Japan and to an 8-1 record and the bronze medal. The United States finished with a +20.4 points per game advantage. As a team, the U.S. finished ranked among the top leading teams in almost every offensive statistical category at the 2006 World Championship.
During the senior team's pre-World Championship tour, Krzyzewski's squad went 5-0, winning by an average of 34.2 points a game. For his efforts in 2008, 2007 and 2006, he was named USA Basketball's National Coach of the Year becoming one of just two coaches to earn the award three times.
'Mike Krzyzewski is the right man at the right time,' said Jerry Colangelo, Managing Director of the USA Men's Senior National Team program. 'His professional record speaks for itself. His loyalty and commitment to his country is more than self evident and his success as a leader of men is also a part of who he is.'
'For me, this is the ultimate honor in coaching,' said Krzyzewski. 'It is a chance to represent the United States at this elite level of basketball. I am honored to be chosen and look forward to the opportunity to develop this team that will represent our great country in its own sport, both on and off the court.'
Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001, the 60-year-old Krzyzewski has a remarkable record of achievement at Duke while also boasting of extensive international experience.
Selected the National Collegiate Coach of the Year 12 times in eight different seasons, Coach K has averaged 26.1 wins per season during his 28-year (1980-81 through 2007-08) career at Duke and posted nine 30-win seasons, including 30 or more victories in six of the past 11 years. Krzyzewski's nine 30-win seasons are the most in college basketball history.
Krzyzewski owns an 803-267 career record and a remarkable 75.0 winning percentage in his 33 years of collegiate coaching. In 28 seasons at the Durham campus, he has logged a spectacular record of 730-208 for a striking 77.8 winning percentage.
He currently ranks sixth among NCAA Division I coaches in career victories and is one win shy of Eddie Sutton for fifth all-time. Krzyzewski's 803 wins gives him the record for most victories through 33 years of coaching.
Coach K became the third-fastest coach to reach 800 career wins with an 87-86 win over North Carolina State on March 1, 2008. He reached the 800-win plateau in 1,064 career games, trailing only Adolph Rupp (972 ) and Dean Smith (1029) in reaching the 800 win milestone in NCAA history. On Feb. 18, 2007, he posted his 700th career win at Duke and became the eighth coach ever to register 700 wins at one school after besting Georgia Tech 71-62. He reached his 700th win at Duke in 898 games, the second fewest games to reach the milestone in NCAA history.
Under Krzyzewski, Duke has captured three national championships (1991, 1992, and 2001), and he has directed teams to 10 Final Fours, the third-most by any coach in NCAA history. Since 1985, Krzyzewski has 69 NCAA Tournament victories, 21 more than the next-closest active coach (Williams after 2 w in). His 69 NCAA victories stand as the all-time record, and his 90 NCAA Tournament games is also the best among active coaches and second to only Dean Smith's 92 games in the all-time ranking. Owning an amazing 76.6 winning percentage in NCAA Tournament games, he ranks only behind legend John Wooden (47-10 / .825 winning percentage) in all-time winning percentage (minimum of 40 NCAA games), while ranking highest among active coaches.
Every Duke class from 1986 to 2007 except one (1998) played in at least one Final Four. Incredibly, 57 of 61 players who have completed four years of eligibility at Duke since 1986 have played in the Final Four and at least one NCAA Championship game.
Duke teams under Krzyzewski have earned 24 NCAA Tournament bids, including 13 consecutive; claimed 11 ACC regular season and 10 ACC Tournament championships; compiled 730 total victories, 285 ACC wins and 69 NCAA Tournament victories. He has had teams ranked among the nation's top 25 teams for 410 weeks, including 348 weeks ranked among the nation's top 10 teams and 188 games coached while ranking number one.
His players have earned National Player of the Year honors nine times, claimed National Defensive Player of the Year honors nine times, and been named All-American 33 times. Thirty-nine of his players have been NBA Draft selections (through 2007 NBA Draft), including 20 first rounders and 12 NBA Lottery picks.
Krzyzewski's back-to-back NCAA titles in 1991 and 1992 make him the only coach since UCLA's John Wooden to repeat as national champions. Additionally, Krzyzewski moved ahead of Wooden to rank first on the chart of coaches who have led their respective schools to a number one national ranking in 13 different seasons.
Krzyzewski attended the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., and while there lettered three years in basketball (1967, 1968 and 1969) and was captain of Army's 1969 NIT fourth place finishing team. He directed service teams for three years and followed that up as head coach of the U.S. Military Academy Prep School in Belvoir, Va., for two years.
In 1974 he resigned from the Army having attained the rank of Captain. When Krzyzewski was just 26, Bob Knight, his former coach at Army, hired him as a graduate assistant at Indiana University. That 1975 IU squad posted an 18-0 Big Ten Conference mark and an overall 31-1 record.
Accepting the head coaching position at his alma mater following his season at IU, Krzyzewski spent five years (1975-76 through 1979-80) building the West Point program and led the Cadets to one NIT berth, one ECAC playoff appearance and a five-year record of 73-59.
Krzyzewski also boasts of a long resume of international basketball coaching experience. A member of 11 USA coaching staffs, Coach K led teams have compiled a 88-7 overall mark for an 92.6 winning percentage, and in the 11 international competitions Krzyzewski has been involved in, those USA teams have captured seven gold medals, two silver medals and two bronze medals.
Getting his start in 1979 as an assistant to Knight with the USA Pan American Games team that finished 9-0 and in possession of the gold medal, in 1983 he directed the U.S. Olympic Festival South squad to the gold medal with a 3-1 record. Krzyzewski served as an assistant coach at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and was a special assistant with the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team that won gold and finished 8-0. Head coach of the 1987 USA World University Games Team, Krzyzewski's crew finished 7-1 to claim the silver medal. Head coach in 1990 of the USA Goodwill Games and FIBA World Championship teams, Coach K led the American collegians to a silver medal and 3-2 finish in the Goodwill Games and to a 6-2 bronze medal placing in the Worlds. Krzyzewski was selected an assistant coach for the historic 1992 U.S. Olympic Team that finished 6-0 in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament and less than a month later rolled to an 8-0 record and captured Olympic gold in Barcelona, Spain.
Krzyzewski has also been extensively involved in USA Basketball's selection committees. He was a member of USA Basketball's 1989-92 Games Committee for Men, and the 1989-92 Men's Olympic Team Subset and 1989-92 Men's National Team Subset. He served as chairman of the 1993-96 USA Basketball Select Team Committee and was part of the 1997-2000 USA Basketball Men's Senior National Team Committee.
USA Basketball Coaching Record:
| Team | Position |
Record |
Pct. | Record /Finish |
| 2008 U.S. Olympic Team | Head Coach |
8-0 |
1.000 |
Gold Medal |
| 2008 USA Senior National Team | Head Coach |
5-0 |
1.000 |
N/A |
| 2007 USA Olympic Qualifying Team | Head Coach |
10-0 |
1.000 | Gold Medal |
| 2006 USA World Championship Team |
Head Coach |
8-1 |
.889 |
Bronze Medal |
| 2006 USA Senior National Team | Head Coach |
5-0 |
1.000 | N/A |
| 1992 U.S. Olympic Team | Assistant Coach |
8-0 |
1.000 | Gold Medal |
| 1992 U.S. Olympic Qualifying Team | Assistant Coach |
6-0 |
1.000 | Gold Medal |
| 1990 USA World Championship Team | Head Coach |
6-2 |
.750 | Bronze Medal |
| 1990 USA Goodwill Games Team | Head Coach |
3-2 |
.600 |
Silver Medal |
| 1987 USA World University Games Team | Head Coach |
7-1 |
.875 | Silver Medal |
| 1984 U.S. Olympic Team | Special Assistant |
8-0 |
1.000 | Gold Medal |
| 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials | Assistant Coach |
- |
- |
- |
| 1983 U.S. Olympic Festival South Team | Head Coach |
3-1 |
.775 | Gold Medal |
| 1979 USA Pan American Games Team | Assistant Coach |
9-0 |
1.000 | Gold Medal |
| Totals | 11 International Competitions |
86-7 |
.925 | 7 Gold Medals 2 Silver Medals 2 Bronze Medal |
Collegiate Head Coaching Record:
| Year | School |
Overall Record |
ACC Record |
Post Season / Notes |
| 2007-08 | Duke |
28- 6 |
13-3 (2) |
NCAA Tournament |
| 2006-07 | Duke |
22-11 |
8-8 (t6) | NCAA Tournament |
| 2005-06 | Duke |
32- 4 |
14-2 (1) |
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen |
| 2004-05 | Duke |
27- 6 |
11-5 (3) |
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen |
| 2003-04 | Duke |
31- 6 |
13-3 (1) |
NCAA Final Four |
| 2002-03 | Duke |
26- 7 |
11-5 (t2) |
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen |
| 2001-02 | Duke |
31- 4 |
13-3 (2) |
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen |
| 2000-01 | Duke |
35- 4 |
13-3 (t1) |
NCAA Champion |
| 1999-2000 | Duke |
29- 5 |
15-1 (1) |
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen |
| 1998-99 | Duke |
37- 2 |
16-0 (1) |
NCAA Runner-up |
| 1997-98 | Duke |
32- 4 |
15-1 (1) |
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight |
| 1996-97 | Duke |
24- 9 |
12-4 (1) |
NCAA Tournament |
| 1995-96 | Duke |
18-13 |
8-8 (t4) |
NCAA Tournament |
| 1994-95 | Duke |
9- 3 |
0-1 |
out after back surgery |
| 1993-94 | Duke |
28- 6 |
12-4 (1) |
NCAA Runner-up |
| 1992-93 | Duke |
24- 8 |
10-6 (t3) |
NCAA Tournament |
| 1991-92 | Duke |
34- 2 |
14-2 (1) |
NCAA Champion |
| 1990-91 | Duke |
32- 7 |
11-3 (1) |
NCAA Champion |
| 1989-90 | Duke |
29- 9 |
9-5 (2) |
NCAA Runner-up |
| 1988-89 | Duke |
28- 8 |
9-5 (t2) |
NCAA Final Four |
| 1987-88 | Duke |
28- 7 |
9-5 (3) |
NCAA Final Four |
| 1986-87 | Duke |
24- 9 |
9-5 (3) |
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen |
| 1985-86 | Duke |
37- 3 |
12-2 (1) |
NCAA Runner-up |
| 1984-85 | Duke |
23- 8 |
8-6 (t4) |
NCAA Tournament |
| 1983-84 | Duke |
24-10 |
7-7 (t3) |
NCAA Tournament |
| 1982-83 | Duke |
11-17 |
3-11 (7) |
|
| 1981-82 | Duke |
10-17 |
4-10 (t6) |
|
| 1980-81 | Duke |
17-13 |
6-8 (t5) |
NIT Quarterfinals |
| 1979-80 | Army |
9-17 |
|
|
| 1978-79 | Army |
14-11 |
|
|
| 1977-78 | Army |
19-9 |
|
NIT |
| 1976-77 | Army |
20-8 |
|
|
| 1975-76 | Army |
11-14 |
|
|
| Career Record: | 803-267 (.750) | 33 Years | ||
| Duke Record: | 730-208 (.778) | 28 Years | ||
| NCAA Tournament Record: | 69-21 (.766) | 24 NCAA Tournaments | ||








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