Mike Krzyzewski facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Krzyzewski" redirects here. For the Polish family name, see Krzyżewski.

"Coach K" redirects here. For the record producer, see Quality Control Music.

Quick facts for kids
Mike Krzyzewski

Krzyzewski in 2011

Biographical details

Born

February 13, 1947 (age 78)
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Playing career

Basketball

Position(s)

Point guard, shooting guard

Coaching career (HC unless noted)

1974–1975

Indiana (assistant)

1975–1980

Army

1980–2022

Duke

Head coaching record

Overall

1,202–368

Tournaments

101–30 (NCAA Division I)
2–2 (NIT)
65–22 (ACC)

Accomplishments and honors

Championships

5 NCAA Division I tournament (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015)
13 NCAA Division I regional – Final Four (1986, 1988–1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015, 2022)
15 ACC tournament (1986, 1988, 1992, 1999–2003, 2005, 2006, 2009–2011, 2017, 2019)
13 ACC regular season (1986, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997–2001, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2022)

Awards

3× Naismith College Coach of the Year (1989, 1992, 1999)
2× NABC Coach of the Year (1991, 1999)
Clair Bee Coach of the Year (2004)
UPI Coach of the Year (1986)
5× ACC Coach of the Year (1984, 1986, 1997, 1999, 2000)

Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2001 (profile)

College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Medal record

Head coach for United States

men's national basketball team
Olympic Games
Gold	2008 Beijing	Team
Gold	2012 London	Team
Gold	2016 Rio de Janeiro	Team
FIBA World Championship
Gold	2010 Turkey	Team
Gold	2014 Spain	Team
Bronze	1990 Argentina
Bronze	2006 Japan
FIBA Americas Championship
Gold	2007 Las Vegas
Assistant Coach for United States
men's national basketball team
Olympic Games
Gold	1984 Los Angeles	Team
Gold	1992 Barcelona	Team
FIBA Americas Championship
Gold	1992 Portland

Michael William Krzyzewski (born February 13, 1947), known as "Coach K", is a famous American former college basketball coach. He coached the Duke University team from 1980 to 2022. During his time at Duke, he led the Blue Devils to five national championships. His teams also reached the Final Four 13 times. They won 15 ACC tournament titles and 13 ACC regular season titles.

Coach K is considered one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever. Only UCLA's John Wooden has won more NCAA championships.

Krzyzewski also coached the U.S. national team. He led them to gold medals at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics. He was also the head coach for gold medal wins at the 2010 and 2014 FIBA World Cup. He was an assistant coach for the famous "Dream Team" at the 1992 Olympics.

Krzyzewski played as a point guard for Army from 1966 to 1969. His coach there was Bob Knight. From 1975 to 1980, he coached his old college team, Army. He has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame three times. This includes his individual coaching career in 2001. He was also inducted as part of the "Dream Team" in 2010. In 2025, he was inducted as head coach of the 2008 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("Redeem Team"). He also joined the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2009, he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame with the "Dream Team."

On November 15, 2011, Krzyzewski made history. He led Duke to a 74–69 win over Michigan State. This made him the coach with the most wins in NCAA Division I men's basketball history. His 903rd victory broke the record held by his former coach, Bob Knight. On January 25, 2015, Duke beat St. John's 77–68. With this win, Krzyzewski became the first Division I men's coach to reach 1,000 wins.

Early Life and Education
Coaching Career Highlights
Life After Coaching
Awards and Honors
Family and Charity Work
Coaching Record
- College Teams
Coaching Tree
See also

Early Life and Education

Krzyzewski was born in Chicago on February 13, 1947. His parents, Emily and William, were Polish American. He was raised as a Catholic. He went to St. Helen Catholic School and then Archbishop Weber High School in Chicago.

Krzyzewski with coach Bob Knight

He was the captain of the Army basketball team in his final year, 1968–69. He led the team to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). They finished fourth in the tournament.

From 1969 to 1974, Krzyzewski served as an officer in the U.S. Army. He directed service teams for three years. In 2005, he received West Point's Distinguished Graduate Award.

He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1969. He was the first in his family to go to college.

Coaching Career Highlights

Starting Out: Indiana and Army

Krzyzewski left the Army in 1974 as a captain. He began his coaching career as an assistant for Coach Knight. This was with the Indiana Hoosiers during their 1974–75 season. After one year, Krzyzewski returned to West Point. He became the head coach for the Army Cadets at age 28. In five seasons, he led Army to a 73–59 record. They also made it to the NIT in 1978.

Leading the Duke Blue Devils

Krzyzewski speaks to reporters after being named Duke's head coach on March 18, 1980.

On March 18, 1980, Krzyzewski became the head coach at Duke University. After a few years of rebuilding, Duke became a top team in college basketball. His teams made it to the NCAA Tournament 35 times in 36 years. They had 24 straight appearances from 1996 to 2019.

Coach K is the winningest coach in men's NCAA Tournament history. He has a 100–30 record. His Duke teams won 15 ACC Championships. They also reached 13 Final Fours and won five NCAA National Championships.

Krzyzewski cutting down the nets after winning the 1986 ACC tournament

In October 1994, Krzyzewski had back surgery. He tried to coach the 1994–95 season using a special stool. But the pain was too much. He took a break, and assistant Pete Gaudet coached the rest of the season. Krzyzewski later said this break helped him learn to manage his time better.

On February 13, 2010, his 63rd birthday, Krzyzewski coached his 1,000th game at Duke. On March 20, 2011, he won his 900th game. He was the second of three Division I men's coaches to reach 900 wins. The others were Jim Boeheim and his former coach, Bob Knight. On November 15, 2011, Krzyzewski got his 903rd win. This broke Knight's record for most Division I wins.

Krzyzewski coaching during a 2013 game

On January 25, 2015, Krzyzewski won his 1,000th game. Duke defeated St. John's in Madison Square Garden. He was the first men's coach to win 1,000 NCAA Division I basketball games. On April 6, 2015, Krzyzewski won his fifth NCAA championship. Duke beat Wisconsin in the final game.

On March 19, 2016, Duke beat Yale in the NCAA tournament. This win made Krzyzewski the all-time winningest coach in the NCAA Division I tournament. He had 90 total wins. On November 11, 2017, he won his 1,000th game with the Duke Blue Devils. This made him the first coach to win 1,000 games with one NCAA Division I men's basketball program.

On March 17, 2018, Krzyzewski won his 1,099th career game. He passed Pat Summitt for the most wins by any Division I coach, male or female. On February 16, 2019, he won his 1,123rd game. This made him the winningest coach in college basketball history at any level. He passed Harry Statham of Division II McKendree University. However, on January 21, 2024, Tara VanDerveer passed Krzyzewski with her 1,203rd win.

On June 2, 2021, Krzyzewski announced he would retire after the 2021–22 season. His final home game was on March 5, 2022, against rival North Carolina. Duke lost that game 94–81. Krzyzewski reached his 13th Final Four appearance. This passed John Wooden for the most Final Four appearances as a coach. Duke lost to North Carolina 81–77 in his final game on April 2, 2022. He finished his Duke career with a 1,129–309 win-loss record.

Coaching the National Team

Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, and Krzyzewski during a national team practice ahead of the 2012 Olympics

Krzyzewski's teams won three straight gold medals in the Olympics. He was the head coach of the USA men's national team. He also won a silver medal at the 1987 World University Games. He won bronze medals at the 1990 FIBA World Championship and 2006 FIBA World Championship. He also won gold medals at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship, 2010 FIBA World Championship, and 2014 FIBA World Cup.

He was also an assistant coach for USA teams that won gold medals. These included the 1984 and 1992 Olympics.

In 2005, he became the head coach of the national team. At the 2006 FIBA World Championship, the USA won the bronze medal. On August 24, 2008, Krzyzewski's U.S. team won the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This team was called "The Redeem Team." They finished with a perfect 8–0 record. He led Team USA to a perfect 9–0 record at the 2010 FIBA World Championship. His team won a second Olympic gold in London in 2012. Krzyzewski had a total record of 75–1 (.987) as head coach of the USA National Team.

In February 2013, Krzyzewski stepped down from coaching the national team. But in May, Team USA announced he would return as head coach until 2016.

NBA Coaching Opportunities

President George W. Bush congratulating Mike Krzyzewski and the 2001 NCAA champions at the White House

During his long time at Duke, Krzyzewski had many chances to coach in the NBA. The Boston Celtics offered him a job after the 1990 season. He turned them down. The next season, Duke won their first national championship. In 1994, the Portland Trail Blazers wanted him. Again, he chose to stay at Duke.

In 2004, the Los Angeles Lakers offered him a job. He turned down a reported five-year, $40 million offer. In 2010, the New Jersey Nets were willing to pay him a lot of money. Krzyzewski again said no and stayed at Duke. In 2011, the Minnesota Timberwolves offered him their coaching position. He declined and chose to stay at Duke.

Life After Coaching

Even though Krzyzewski retired as Duke's basketball coach in 2022, he still works at Duke University. He continues to use his office there. In 2023, he said he talked to the new coach, Jon Scheyer, almost every day. After retiring, Krzyzewski focused on charity work. This included work for The V Foundation and the Emily Krzyzewski Center. He also gives speeches and spends time with his family. He attended his first Duke game after retiring on February 14, 2023.

Awards and Honors

Krzyzewski embraces Bob Knight after his 903rd win

NCAA

Five-time NCAA Champion – 1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015
Three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year – 1989, 1992, 1999
13-time ACC Regular Season Champion – 1986, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2022
15-time ACC Tournament Champion – 1986, 1988, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2019
Five-time ACC Coach of the Year – 1984, 1986, 1997, 1999, 2000
Basketball court at Cameron Indoor Stadium named "Coach K Court"

USA Basketball

Five Olympic Gold Medals:
- 1984, 1992 (assistant coach)
- 2008, 2012, 2016 (head coach)
Two-time FIBA World Cup Gold Medal winner – 2010, 2014
Two-time FIBA World Cup Bronze Medal winner – 1990, 2006

Halls of Fame

Three-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee:
- 2001 (individual career)
- 2010 (with the "Dream Team")
- 2025 (with the "Redeem Team")
College Basketball Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2006)
United States Olympic Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2009 – with the "Dream Team")
FIBA Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2017 – with the "Dream Team")
United States Military Academy Sports Hall of Fame inductee (class of 2009)
National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame inductee (class of 1991)

Other Honors

2011: Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year"
Award at the United States Military Academy named the "Coach Krzyzewski Teaching Character Through Sports Award"
In 2014, he received the Order of Lincoln. This is Illinois' highest honor.
In 2023, a part of North Carolina Highway 751 was named "Coach K Highway."

Family and Charity Work

Mickie, Mike, Jamie, Lindy, and Debbie Krzyzewski, circa 1986

Krzyzewski married Carol "Mickie" Marsh in 1969. They have three daughters and ten grandchildren. Mickie was very important in his decision to take a break from coaching in 1994. She insisted he see a doctor for his back pain. His grandson, Michael Savarino, played for Duke as a walk-on in the 2019–20 season.

Krzyzewski and his family started the Emily Krzyzewski Center. This non-profit organization was named after his mother. It helps students from kindergarten to high school. The center helps them achieve in school and go to college. It aims to help break the cycle of poverty in families.

Krzyzewski and Mickie have also raised money for many causes. These include the Duke Children's Hospital and the V Foundation for Cancer Research. They have also given money to Duke University for student scholarships. He also advises the Code of Support Foundation, which helps military families.

In 2012, Krzyzewski received the Wayman Tisdale Humanitarian Award. This award honored his community service and charity work.

Coaching Record

College Teams

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
Army Cadets (NCAA Division I independent) (1975–1980)
1975–76	Army	11–14
1976–77	Army	20–8
1977–78	Army	19–9			NIT first round
1978–79	Army	14–11
1979–80	Army	9–17
Army:		73–59 (.553)
Duke Blue Devils (Atlantic Coast Conference) (1980–2022)
1980–81	Duke	17–13	6–8	T–5th	NIT quarterfinal
1981–82	Duke	10–17	4–10	T–6th
1982–83	Duke	11–17	3–11	7th
1983–84	Duke	24–10	7–7	T–3rd	NCAA Division I Round of 32
1984–85	Duke	23–8	8–6	T–4th	NCAA Division I Round of 32
1985–86	Duke	37–3	12–2	1st	NCAA Division I Runner-up
1986–87	Duke	24–9	9–5	3rd	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
1987–88	Duke	28–7	9–5	3rd	NCAA Division I Final Four
1988–89	Duke	28–8	9–5	T–2nd	NCAA Division I Final Four
1989–90	Duke	29–9	9–5	2nd	NCAA Division I Runner-up
1990–91	Duke	32–7	11–3	1st	NCAA Division I Champion
1991–92	Duke	34–2	14–2	1st	NCAA Division I Champion
1992–93	Duke	24–8	10–6	T–3rd	NCAA Division I Round of 32
1993–94	Duke	28–6	12–4	1st	NCAA Division I Runner-up
1994–95	Duke	9–3	0–1
1995–96	Duke	18–13	8–8	T–4th	NCAA Division I Round of 64
1996–97	Duke	24–9	12–4	1st	NCAA Division I Round of 32
1997–98	Duke	32–4	15–1	1st	NCAA Division I Elite Eight
1998–99	Duke	37–2	16–0	1st	NCAA Division I Runner-up
1999–00	Duke	29–5	15–1	1st	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2000–01	Duke	35–4	13–3	T–1st	NCAA Division I Champion
2001–02	Duke	31–4	13–3	2nd	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2002–03	Duke	26–7	11–5	T–2nd	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2003–04	Duke	31–6	13–3	1st	NCAA Division I Final Four
2004–05	Duke	27–6	11–5	3rd	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2005–06	Duke	32–4	14–2	1st	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2006–07	Duke	22–11	8–8	6th	NCAA Division I Round of 64
2007–08	Duke	28–6	13–3	2nd	NCAA Division I Round of 32
2008–09	Duke	30–7	11–5	T–2nd	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2009–10	Duke	35–5	13–3	T–1st	NCAA Division I Champion
2010–11	Duke	32–5	13–3	2nd	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2011–12	Duke	27–7	13–3	2nd	NCAA Division I Round of 64
2012–13	Duke	30–6	14–4	2nd	NCAA Division I Elite Eight
2013–14	Duke	26–9	13–5	T–3rd	NCAA Division I Round of 64
2014–15	Duke	35–4	15–3	2nd	NCAA Division I Champion
2015–16	Duke	25–11	11–7	T–5th	NCAA Division I Sweet 16
2016–17	Duke	28–9	11–7	T–5th	NCAA Division I Round of 32
2017–18	Duke	29–8	13–5	2nd	NCAA Division I Elite Eight
2018–19	Duke	32–6	14–4	3rd	NCAA Division I Elite Eight
2019–20	Duke	25–6	15–5	T–2nd	No postseason held
2020–21	Duke	13–11	9–9	10th
2021–22	Duke	32–7	16–4	1st	NCAA Division I Final Four
Duke:		1,129–309 (.785)	466–193 (.707)
Total:		1,202–368 (.766)
National champion Conference regular season champion Conference tournament champion Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Conference division champion

*The 2020 NCAA tournament was canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Coaching Tree

Many assistant coaches who worked under Mike Krzyzewski later became head coaches themselves. Here are some of them:

Pete Gaudet – Army (1980–82)
Chuck Swenson – William & Mary (1987–1994)
Bob Bender – Illinois State (1989–1993), Washington (1993–2002)
Mike Brey – Delaware (1995–2000), Notre Dame (2000–2023)
Tommy Amaker – Seton Hall (1997–2001), Michigan (2001–2007), Harvard (2007–present)
Tim O'Toole – Fairfield (1998–2006)
Quin Snyder – Missouri (1999–2006), Austin Toros (2007–2010), Utah Jazz (2014–2022), Atlanta Hawks (2023–present)
David Henderson – Delaware (2000–2006)
Jeff Capel – VCU (2002–2006), Oklahoma (2006–2011), Pittsburgh (2018–present)
Johnny Dawkins – Stanford (2008–2016), UCF (2016–present)
Chris Collins – Northwestern (2013–present)
Bobby Hurley – Buffalo (2013–2015), Arizona State (2015–present)
Steve Wojciechowski – Marquette (2014–2021)
Nate James – Austin Peay (2021–2023)
Jon Scheyer – Duke (2022–present)