Not all the news out of the basketball world in November has been miserable. For the first time in a long time, college basketball is important in the fall. And nothing is more important right now than Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski's pursuit of the all-time Division I men's win record, a record currently held by his former coach and mentor Bob Knight. By the time this article is up, Coach K will be well on his way to win number 903, the record setter. That Coach K is a legend is a cliched remark and one that doesn't really need another voice of support. Just look at his resume, or any article written about him in the past decade and a half.
Listening to ESPN the other day, I heard Dick Vitale mention his belief that Coach K is the greatest leader of men in sports right now. And I think I agree, wholeheartedly. Forget about the basketball success here, that's not part of the superlative. The debate is not if he's the greatest coach in college basketball history, but the greatest leader of men in any sport today. And he is.
What makes Coach K such an accomplished leader is the point at which his coaching and discipline take place. The man has made a career out of turning 18 year old kids into men when they leave Cameron Indoor. He doesn't just prep the future pros, he councils all his kids to become better men. Look at the job he did with former point guard Jay Williams, a terrific college athlete whose professional career was derailed by a horrific motorcycle accident. Coach K helped Williams stick around in basketball, guiding him first on a comeback attempt and then towards a gig as a color analyst.
The work he did with team USA doesn't even need to be considered. Coach K's ability to raise his kids is currently second to none. The men he has made are his greatest accomplishments. In the coming days, OneHopSports will pay proper tribute to Coach K and his record-setting wins tally. Tonight is an ode to the disciplinarian, the father figure, the councilor and the guardian. It will be great to see what group of kids he takes with him on his way to 1,000 wins.
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| Congratulations, Coach K. |
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