Mike Krzyzewski: Greatest basketball coach ever?

Duke's Coach K chalks up his 903rd win, setting a Division I college hoops record. Is he now in a league of his own?

Coach Mike Krzyzewski after Duke's Atlantic Coast Conference win last year
(Image credit: Jaime L. Mikle/Getty Images)

Duke University's Mike Krzyzewski became the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history this week, when his No. 6 ranked Blue Devils beat Michigan State 74-69 on Tuesday at Madison Square Garden. With his 903rd win, Krzyzewski — Coach K to admirers — broke a tie with his mentor Bob Knight. The legendary Indiana coach reached 902 wins in 42 seasons. Krzyzewski hit 903 in his 37th. Coach K is only 64 years old, and may well have enough seasons ahead of him to set a mark that will never be broken. Is Coach K the greatest college basketball coach ever?

Krzyzewski is unparalleled: Sorry to break it to you, Duke haters, says Bill Reiter at Fox Sports, but it's now official: Coach K is "the greatest coach in college basketball history." We all "crave historical significance," and love to imagine that the events we witness really matter. Well, on Tuesday night, when Krzyzewski outdid everyone who has ever tried to lead a college team to victory, we got a glimpse of "authentic greatness." "Enjoy it. Savor it. Remember it. These moments don’t come around very often."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up