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Chat Reel: Mike Krzyzewski
Coach K says 'You don't do it alone.'
Posted: Monday April 17, 2000 08:28 PM
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Mike Krzyzewski believes that post play in college basketball has become a little too aggressive. Craig Jones/Allsport |
CNNSI Host: Thank you for joining our chat with today's guest, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski. He's in Atlanta to promote his new book "Leading with the Heart." Thanks for joining us, Coach.
Mike Krzyzewski: Thanks.
CNNSI Host: Tell us a little bit about this book you've just penned.
Mike Krzyzewski: I love the book. It's about people and relating to people, informing teams which help you become better. Some people say it's motivational. It's about leadership. It's about teamwork. I feel it's about people. We're getting a great response.
From MondayNightImmortal: I can't wait to pick up a copy of your book and get it signed Thursday in Durham, but before I get it, answer one question, Coach: What is the one message you want readers to take away from the book?
Mike Krzyzewski: That you don't do it alone. You become successful and happy by forming teams, whether it's a family team, an athletic team, a church team, and then all of a sudden, you may lead a team. It's about not doing it alone.
From D.D. Colbert: Congratulations on a great season! I've been a fan of the program since '88, and I really appreciate all that you and your players have done in representing the best of college basketball. Since we are on the subject of "...successful strategies...", tell me how you were able to keep your guys motivated and able to, as they say, "refuse to lose" in a season where the personnel losses seemed so great.
Mike Krzyzewski: I think first of all, it can't be "my team." It has to be "our team." Where we create an environment where the players are not playing for me; they're playing for us. And when you establish that, you establish ownership for everybody on the team and you play as one. That was the biggest thing about this season. The team was better together than the total amount of what the individuals could do.
From Ben Godwin: Coach, what do you feel will be Duke's strength going in to next season?
Mike Krzyzewski: Coaching, ha, ha, ha. Depth and experience. We return all but one of our players, Chris Carrawell, and we have two really good players coming in, so we'll be able to attack people, especially defensively, in more of a variety of ways.
From Buddy Womble: Do you foresee Casey Sanders playing a SIGNIFICANTLY greater role next season?
Mike Krzyzewski: Absolutely! He is really a key guy for us. He has gained about 15 pounds and hopefully by next year, he'll be up to 225 to 230. Our defensive style for next year will be more conducive to what Casey can do.
From ck1: The current controversy surrounding Coach Knight at Indiana must be difficult for you to watch. Did Coach Knight cross the line? What should Indiana University's response be?
Mike Krzyzewski: It's a sad situation because, as a public figure, we're sometimes judged by one moment or a few moments that people choose to use to show who we are. I think it will be very important for Coach Knight to say what he has to say about the situation and hopefully it will be resolved where he can get back to the job of just coaching the kids on his team.
From Guest: How do you feel about the addition of Chris Duhon?
Mike Krzyzewski: I'm ecstatic about having Chris join us. He can play either guard spot, and his maturity level is higher than most kids coming out of high school, so he has an opportunity to be a very significant part of our team right away and gives us depth in our ability to handle the ball.
From ldn: Hi Coach. Do you keep up with the four players drafted last year, and if so, do you think Will Avery or Corey Maggette will regret coming out early given their difficulties in the NBA this year and how close Duke was to making another title run?
Mike Krzyzewski: Well, we do keep up with all of our former players. We're especially happy with Elton because he has my vote for Rookie of the Year. What we try to teach our players who are there and who have left is to go to the next play. So with William and Corey, we would hope that they have amazing success, and we'll help them as much as possible. I think it's counterproductive to talk about "Do you regret this?" or "Do you regret that?" That decision was made, and let's make the most of it.
From Craig Libis: Congratulations on an oustanding season and a terrific book. Coach, how has assistant coach Wojo progressed this past season as a coach?
Mike Krzyzewski: He has exceeded my expectations in his first year as a head coach. He has been an amazing asset and I believe has the makings of becoming a spectacular head coach. Not yet -- I want him around with me for a few more years.
From Mark: Coach K, will there ever be air conditioning in Cameron Indoor Stadium? Or more seats? Thanks and good luck!
Mike Krzyzewski: Only if you are going to donate some money so we can get air conditioning in Cameron! All kidding aside, that will happen in a couple of years and there may even be a few more seats.
From John Brumbaugh: Do you feel that the college game should go to the rules changes that have been seen in the NBA to increase the more athletic, skilled play, in favor of lessening the banging in the middle which proved to be the key for teams like Wisconsin and Purdue having deep runs in the NCAA Tournament?
Mike Krzyzewski: Good question.
Post play in college has become much more physical than it should be. There has been talk about widening the lane, like the NBA, and that's something that we should continue to investigate. The other aspect is to call the game tighter, so there will not be as much physical contact in the lane, so that big kids can have the opportunity to make their moves.
From Guest: Do you think Mike Dunleavy will step up to be one of the leaders of next year's team?
Mike Krzyzewski: Absolutely. Mike Dunleavy is a very special basketball player and I believe will end up being one of our best players ever at Duke. He's grown 2 1/2 inches in the past year.
From Guest: Coach K, how would a "minor league" to the NBA affect college basketball?
Mike Krzyzewski: No one knows for sure. However, it could be a real downer for NCAA basketball. Right now, the college game does not compete with anyone else for this market of 18-to-21 year old kids. With the development league, I know the NBA will promote it -- as they should -- and what will that do? I think it might hurt college basketball.
From Kamran: How do you motivate yourself after going through the grind (successfully) so many times? Do you see yourself in the NBA, or is coaching there not as challenging?
Mike Krzyzewski: I think coaching in the NBA would be every bit as challenging. It's just that I want to coach in college. I'm motivated by the kids who play for me, and they're different each year. I think a leader should always try to surround himself with hungry, motivated people and that keeps the leader hungry and motivated.
From Guest: Coach, how do you feel about players earning any type of stipend? The universities, the networks, the NCAA and the coaches make a lot of money that the players (many very poor) get any of.
Mike Krzyzewski: I think the players should get more than what they receive right now, under an NCAA scholarship. The coaches in the newly-formed Players Council have discussed this situation, and we're investigating ways they can get more under what we call a scholarship umbrella. They certainly deserve it.
From Beth Hall: I first want to say that I really enjoyed your book. The question that I have deals with the media. I was just wondering if it is difficult to deal with the high expectations that are put on your team. Many people already have Duke as preseason No. 1 and the favorite to win it all. Do you think that it is unfair for those kind of expectations to be put on your team even before the season begins?
Mike Krzyzewski: I think because of the sport we play and coach, you have to deal with expectations and learn how to enjoy them. I like when people think we're going to be good and then, as a leader, I try to create an environment where my players are going to enjoy that and use it to motivate themselves instead of being afraid of it and fearing failure.
From Nate Warren: I had a chance to hear you speak at a Nike Coaching clinic in Tulsa a couple of years ago and learned a lot. What advice would you give to someone like myself, a college student who wants to coach college basketball? What are efficient ways of networking and getting your name out there if you are not a player?
Mike Krzyzewski: I think you should try to work summer basketball camps at universities throughout the country. This exposes you to different coaching styles and an amazing number of coaches. The networking opportunities are countless, as are the learning opportunities. I would also suggest that you try to help in your current situation, the team at your school, even in a managerial status. Some of my former managers are now working in basketball because of the experience they gained working for me.
From Guest: Coach K, what profession (other than coaching) would you most want to be a part of?
Mike Krzyzewski: I would always want to be a teacher. I wanted to be a high school teacher my whole life. I would want to be a teacher, with parental support -- not like it is today.
From Maia Weinstock: What's your routine before and after games when you're traveling? Do you sit with the team and chat about an upcoming/past game while en route, or do you leave game talk strictly for the locker room? Also, how much (if at all) do you socialize with your team outside of practice/games?
Mike Krzyzewski: I never discuss a game with the team while we're travelling. I might sit and talk with a couple individual players and find out what's happening in their lives, because that'll have an impact with how they do in the game. Once we get to the site, we have our normal procedure of meetings, walkthroughs, practice and the actual game. After a game, I would not give them full feedback until the next practice, when we would watch highlights -- or lowlights -- of the preceding game and I would give them my impressions. Then, we close that chapter, and get onto the next opportunity.
From Ben Godwin: Coach, what is the moment you will remember most from the 1999-2000 season?
Mike Krzyzewski: Probably Carrawell leaving the court at the end of his career in the Florida game, where he broke down in tears. To me, that's the best compliment a coach can get, because it's obvious that Chris put his heart and soul into his four years at Duke and all of a sudden, it was over.
From ck1: What lessons did you learn from the "down" year or two Duke had while you were out with health difficulties? I've heard many say you changed your recruiting strategy after that experience? Did you? What other lessons did you learn?
Mike Krzyzewski: I really didn't change my recruiting strategy, because we'd gotten great kids before and we've got great kids since. I learned the most about having greater balance in my life and appreciating where I was in my coaching career -- what a great time it was, rather than just focusing on winning.
From Guest: Coach K - Your book is about more than just sports-oriented leadership. How would you suggest that people apply the lessons that you impart about leadership to the things going on every day in their communities?
Mike Krzyzewski: Good question. Everything you do usually has to do with people. Therefore, the establishment of good relationships with another person or persons is paramount to success in everything you do. My book talks about how you do this, and I've received some tremendous reactions from youngsters and parents because I talk about how my relationship with my Mom, especially, had a positive bearing on my life.
From Brian Kelle: Coach K, I am a longtime Duke fan and a high school coach myself... my question is this: What are your thoughts on the current state of basketball recruiting with AAU and "street agents?"
Mike Krzyzewski: This is a very difficult time for college basketball, because much of our recruiting is done outside of the student's academic year and away from the student's current high school coach. I don't think that's good. I think the summer gives coaches an opportunity to see more players; however, I would like to see the recruitment come back to where we do more of it at the prospect's school and home.
From Guest: How has your relationship with Dicky V and the late Jimmy V helped you as a person?
Mike Krzyzewski: My relationship with Jim Valvano is one that I truly treasure. I speak about it in one of the chapters in my book, and the last five or six months of his life were amazing, as far as we interacted. I found friendship to be at a higher level than I ever anticipated. With Dick Vitale, I've established a very good relationship also, and I think Dick is very good for college basketball. A little loud, but very, very good, and he genuinely loves college basketball, which I really, really admire.
From Guest: How much longer do you plan to stay at Duke?
Mike Krzyzewski: I never try to set time goals, nor numerical goals for me or my team. I can see myself coaching for a number of years, as long as I continue to love it and have a passion for teaching.
CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have for today, thanks for joining us Coach.
Mike Krzyzewski: Okay, thanks.
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