Mike Krzyzewski

Michael William Krzyzewski, widely known as Coach K, is an American basketball legend whose career spans over five decades of playing, coaching, and international competition. Born on February 13, 1947 in Chicago, Illinois, he grew up in a Polish‑American family and attended St. Helen Catholic School before graduating from West Point in 1969, where he played point guard for the Army Cadets from 1966 to 1969. After serving as a United States Army officer, he began his coaching journey as an assistant to Bob Knight at Indiana University during the historic 1974‑75 season, before returning to West Point to lead the Army basketball program from 1975 to 1980. In March 1980 Krzyzewski accepted the head coaching position at Duke University, where he transformed the Blue Devils into a perennial powerhouse, guiding the team to five NCAA championships (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015), 13 Final Four appearances, and a record‑setting 1,129‑309 career record before retiring in 2022. His leadership extended to the international arena, where he served as head coach of the United States men’s national team, winning three consecutive Olympic gold medals in 2008, 2012 and 2016, as well as two FIBA World Cup titles in 2010 and 2014. Krzyzewski’s impact is reflected in numerous honors: three inductions into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, three ACC Coach of the Year awards, and multiple national coach of the year recognitions. Beyond the court, he and his wife, Carol "Mickie" Marsh, founded the Emily Krzyzewski Center to empower youth, supported numerous charitable causes, and remain influential figures in the realm of sports, education, and philanthropy. His legacy as a mentor, strategist, and humanitarian continues to inspire generations of players and coaches worldwide.