Latest news with #MikeKrzyzewski
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I'd probably score 84 or 85" - Gilbert Arenas admits he dreamed about revenge game vs. Duke after 2004 Team USA snub
Fans and analysts love to speculate about hypothetical matchups. Many people are curious about how a certain player would perform against a particular team. In late January 2007, Gilbert Arenas was asked a similar question — how he, as an NBA player in his sixth season, would fare against the Duke Blue Devils roster at that time. Staying true to his confident style, "Agent Zero" gave a bold answer. Arenas felt snubbed It helps to look back at the summer of 2006 to really understand why Arenas mentioned that specific hypothetical matchup. Advertisement Back then, Team USA was led by a special coaching trio, each with their own head coaching jobs during the regular season. Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University led the team, assisted by Mike D'Antoni of the Phoenix Suns and Nate McMillan of the Portland Trail Blazers. When the final roster for the 2006 FIBA World Championship was announced, Washington Wizards playmaker wasn't on the list. Many thought this decision was fair, considering the amount of top talent in the country. However, others — including Gil himself — saw his exclusion as a clear snub. Feeling overlooked but determined to prove his value, the reigning All-Star set a personal goal: to dominate every NBA team coached by those who had left him off the national squad that won the bronze medal in Japan while he had to stay home. Related: Michael Jordan told Phil Jackson that Scottie Pippen was the second-best player on the 1992 Dream Team: "He was a legitimate star" Arenas' revenge "Agent Zero's" personal vendetta began to take shape when he scored 54 points on 21-of-37 shooting against the Suns on December 22, 2006. Advertisement That incredible performance — Gil's second-highest NBA scoring game — did not go unnoticed. Afterward, D'Antoni made a clever comment, aware of how upset Arenas still was about being left off the Team USA roster. He joked that if Hibachi already took such revenge on him — then only an assistant coach for Team USA — he wondered what the 6'4" point guard would do against Duke, saying he'd "absolutely dominate" Coach K's team. Reflecting on this, Arenas wrote in an blog that if he could change anything, he would gladly give up an entire NBA season just to play one college game against the 2006-07 Blue Devils, who had players like Josh McRoberts, Gerald Henderson Jr. and Jon Scheyer. "One college game that's five fouls, right?... 40-minute game at Duke, they got soft rims I'd probably score 84 or 85," quipped Arenas, per ESPN. "I wouldn't pass the ball. I wouldn't even think about passing it. It would be like a NBA Live or an NBA 2k7 game, you just shoot with one person." Advertisement For context, the highest single-game scoring record in NCAA history belongs to former Division III's Jack Taylor, who scored 138 points for Grinnell College on November 20, 2012. Although the Duke vs. Wizards matchup never happened, the now 43-year-old got his chance for revenge in two games against the Suns and two against the Blazers under coach McMillan that year. While Arenas averaged a blazing 42.5 points per contest against Phoenix, his scoring dropped to just 14.0 points against Portland, showing that his vendetta was somewhat one-sided. Related: "He has all the shooters on the bench" - Gilbert Arenas on why he knew Team USA wouldn't win gold in the '06 FIBA WC
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mike Krzyzewski Sends Strong Message on Cooper Flagg Before NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg is heading to the NBA Draft after a historic season with the Duke Blue Devils. Flagg led Duke to a 35-4 record, helping the program win the ACC Tournament title and enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed. Advertisement While they ultimately lost in the Final Four, Duke had a successful season led by their Naismith Player of the Year and Wooden Award winner. After the season, as Flagg prepares for the NBA Draft, former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski spoke with sports analyst Colin Cowherd. During the show, Krzyzewski revealed his thoughts on Flagg as an NBA prospect, reviewing his freshman season with the Blue Devils. "I knew he was special, because [he] had so much talent," Krzyzewski said. "I didn't realize how special he really is. This kid plays every play hard... Cooper is just unique, you know. He's so strong. His legs are so strong and athletically he's gifted. When you add his athletic ability and his competitive attitude, you have a very special guy." Duke Blue Devils former head coach Mike Deutsch-Imagn Images During his freshman season with the Duke Blue Devils, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. Advertisement He was one of the best two-way players in the country, also posting 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. After committing to play for Jon Scheyer and Duke as the No. 1 overall player, Flagg may have exceeded expectations. The projected No. 1 overall pick entered a historic group, establishing himself as one of the greatest players to pass through Duke, alongside legends like JJ Redick, Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum. Related: Duke's Kon Knueppel Makes Unfortunate NBA Draft Decision Related: Duke Reacts to Major Mike Krzyzewski Announcement on Tuesday
Miami Herald
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Report: ACC eyes more non-conference games
College Sports Report: ACC eyes more non-conference games The Atlantic Coast Conference is trimming the league slate from 20 games to 18 to make room for more marquee non-conference contests, CBS Sports reported Wednesday. The ACC is making the change effective with the 2025-26 men's basketball schedule in order to help reverse a recent trend of dwindling NCAA Tournament bids, per the report. The 18-team conference's athletic directors reportedly approved the move in a call on Wednesday morning. The ACC sent just four teams to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, including the controversial choice of North Carolina. It marked the lowest percentage (22.2 percent) of ACC teams in the field since it expanded to 64 teams in 1985. The Southeastern Conference, by comparison, sent a record 14 teams to the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The ACC sent seven teams to the 2021 tournament, followed by five in each of the next three years and four this season. Adding more Quad 1 and Quad 2 opponents to the schedule may not fix all the problems in the ACC, which has been trending downward since the COVID-19 pandemic in part due to the retirements of high-profile coaches Roy Williams (North Carolina), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Jim Boeheim (Syracuse) and Tony Bennett (Virginia). The Big 12 Conference announced a similar change to the schedule in March, a reduction from 20 to 18 games. The SEC's 16 members play an 18-game league schedule, while the 18-team Big Ten Conference has a 20-game slate. --Field Level Media Field Level Media 2023 - All Rights Reserved This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 4:55 PM.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NCAA Reacts to Historic Mike Krzyzewski Announcement on Wednesday
The Duke Blue Devils have grown into one of the most prestigious programs in college basketball, largely due to the legendary leadership of head coach Mike Krzyzewski, who led the team from 1980 to 2022. During his tenure, Krzyzewski transformed Duke into a national powerhouse, becoming the all-time winningest coach in Division I history. He captured five national championships, made 13 Final Four appearances, and recorded 1,129 wins at the university—the most by any coach at a single school. Advertisement After retiring following the 2022 season, Krzyzewski passed the reins to his former player and assistant coach, Jon Scheyer. Under Scheyer's leadership, Duke has continued to thrive, recently reaching the Final Four and winning both the ACC regular season and conference tournament titles. On Wednesday, a historic announcement was made as Mike Krzyzewski was officially named a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame inductee, recognizing his tremendous contributions to Team USA basketball over the years. The NCAA reacted to the news with a celebratory post, stating, "The legacy of Coach K grows. The basketball legend has earned a spot in the Team USA Hall of Fame." He will be officially inducted in a special ceremony on July 12 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Following the announcement, Duke Athletics shared a powerful message honoring the most successful head coach in the university's history. Former Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski© Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images "Krzyzewski is one of the most accomplished and respected figures in basketball history," Duke Athletics wrote, "As head coach of the U.S. men's Olympic basketball team, he led the program to three consecutive Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016) and six overall golds as head coach of the U.S. men's national team. Advertisement They continued, "He played a pivotal role in restoring Team USA's dominance on the world stage, taking over after a disappointing bronze in 2004 and leading the "Redeem Team" to Olympic gold at Beijing 2008. Under his leadership, Team USA reestablished itself as a global powerhouse." Related: St. John's Makes Major Rick Pitino Announcement on Tuesday
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Duke basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski inducted into US Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame
Duke basketball legend Mike Krzyzewski inducted into US Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame Every Duke Blue Devils men's basketball fan knows the legacy of Mike Krzyzewski in Durham. 'Coach K' spent more than four decades in Durham, winning five national championships and 15 ACC Tournament titles while reaching the Final Four 13 times. He won 1,129 games with the Blue Devils from 1980-2022, and he took Duke to the Final Four in his final season before handing the reins to current coach Jon Scheyer. Cameron Indoor Stadium wasn't the only place Krzyzewski left his mark, however. The longtime Duke coach led the United States men's basketball team to a gold medal at three consecutive Olympic Games from 2008-16, and he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame for that resume on Tuesday. Coach K won gold in Beijing, London, and Rio de Janeiro while coaching NBA legends like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, and former Blue Devil Kyrie Irving. Krzyzewski finished his tenure as the U.S. coach with a 24-0 record, winning two of his three gold-medal games by at least 10 points.
