Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski

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O’Connor dives deep, digging through extant sources as well as conducting his own interviews with scores upon scores of people with close connections to Coach K. The result is a fascinating portrait of sporting greatness, a long look at a man who ascended to the heights of his profession. A man who, for all his flaws, would prove to be a beloved figure in the history of his sport.

Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski|Paperback

Conscious that he did not want his book to steer into hagiography, O'Connor seem to go out of his way to share almost every occasion where Krzyzewski has been petty and ungracious. In an effort to provide nuance, however, O'Connor seems to raise questions without resolving them. For example, time and again, he hints darkly that corruption was rife in basketball recruiting and that, in effect, everyone was providing some form of improper benefits, and thus by implication, Duke likewise participated. Yet, he cannot provide a single example of a Duke basketball player receiving an improper benefit. His treatment of these issues was superficial and seemed calculated to reinforce the belief that Duke "gets all the calls." Krzyzewski's relationship with former assistant and current Utah Jazz coach Quin Snyder, including one Duke player who's quoted in the book as saying: "I saw tension between them. I think I saw jealousy from K to Quin. K snapped at Quin more than any coach or any player combined, and when he did it, it felt personal." An examination of past allegations of NCAA rules infractions and eligibility issues, and a belief among rival schools and coaches that the governing body gives Duke favorable treatment. This is a good biography of Coach K by Ian O'Connor. If you want to know more about Coach K and how he got to be where he is, this is a good book with lots of anecdotes and the behind the scene stories which show how he really is.The author writes of allegations of Duke getting an unfair advantage in recruiting the best high school players because of Krzyzewski’s coaching of Team USA, for whom he won eighty-eight of eighty-nine games. And then, in 1980, Coach K managed to land the Duke job, leapfrogging a number of more qualified candidates. While his resume might not have been as impressive as others, he brought an energy and desire that seemed to fit what the school was looking for in a head coach. K wasn’t the best because he knew basketball better than others, he was the best because he knew human nature better than others. If you admire leadership and are the least bit passionate, this book will bring it out of you in a hurry. Mike Krzyzewski, known worldwide as “Coach K,” is a five-time national champion at Duke, the NCAA's all-time leader in victories with nearly 1,200, and the first man to lead Team USA to three Olympic basketball gold medals. Through unprecedented access to Krzyzewski’s best friends, closest advisers, fiercest adversaries, and generations of his players and assistants, three-time New York Times bestselling author Ian O’Connor takes you behind the Blue Devil curtain with a penetrating examination of the great, but flawed leader as he closes out his iconic career. I hoped for new info on the Olympic players, especially LeBron and Kobe, but there's not much. So much is common knowledge even to someone like me who did not closely follow Duke or the ACC other than when Christian Laettner and Zion Williams** played there. The rest was TMI, and you can feel O'Connor strain in certain parts to paint Coach K in the best light.

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Having been a fan of Duke basketball and Coach K for most of his time at the elite program, I was thrilled and honored at the chance to review this book. If you are a fan of college basketball, Duke basketball, and more specifically Coach K, this book is about as comprehensive and well written as they come. For me, the stuff on Bobby Knight was the most fascinating. One former Army player of Knight's is quoted as saying Airborne Ranger School doesn't compare to a Bobby Knight preseason practice. The book presents Knight in all his complicated glory: abusive, tyrannical, petty, compassionate, great teacher, integrity. All of these attributes come to play in Krzyzewski's up-and-down relationship with his mentor. O'Connor's writing here is often one-note. Mostly what he's done here is collate information. Almost all of it is from other sources, is public knowledge and/or common sense. There's too much about Coach K as a student at West Point playing for Army and too many details about life at West Point (more than at Duke). Do you want to know the math book most students dreaded? In here along with more minutiae. One thing surprised me, because I was a child when Krzyzewski played for West Point: during the Vietnam War some crowds chanted "baby killers!" at the team. I am a grateful recipient of a Duke graduate school degree and even before attending Duke, I was a huge fan of both the men’s and women’s BB programs. Reading Ian O’connor’s biography of Coach K’s life from his days in Chicago to his retirement announcement in 2021 shows the greatness and the weakness of all leaders. My respect for the man and all that he tried to do, his passion to win games, devotion to his family, and his unrelenting drive to be the best at his craft is inspiring for anyone on a quest for excellence in any area of life.Ian O’Connor’s “Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski” purports to be the definitive biography of the man who is arguably the definitive figure in college basketball in the past 50 years. From his early days growing up in Chicago to his time as West Point – first as a player, then as a coach – to his ascension to the top job at Duke, where he turned a decent ACC team into one of the greatest college basketball programs ever. He’s the winningest Division I men’s basketball coach in NCAA history. He’s won multiple national titles and been to even more Final Fours. He’s been in charge of USA Basketball and led the national team to gold medals more than once. He is an iconic figure, one of the titans of the game’s last half-century. About 80 percent of the proceeds will go toward supporting The Chronicle, which is now in its 117th year of publication and 27th year of financial independence. on the record and a few here and there that perhaps weren't, this is for you. For me, reading it often was more like reading an encyclopedia than a biography. It was not worth my time, which is unfortunately very limited right now though that will change soon. The author writes about Krzyzewski’s temper and profanity, and that in defeat he was at times unpleasant to be around. He states that Krzyzewski at times had trouble saying he was sorry.

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I'm relieved I won't have to type the name again, though Connor includes some actual mispronounciations and misspellings before he was a household name, and those amused me***) I skipped the Sweet Sixteen -- March 24, for Duke -- and they won but still it was a dumb mistake. Traveling. This was a VERY in depth portrayal of the legend of Coach K. When he first started coaching, he was ridiculed and viewed by many as having a brief career, but this gritty leader who was shaped by Bobby Knight ended up being now recognized as the greatest college coach ever (And some question whether he was the greatest coach ever!)!

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The Chronicle, Duke’s independent student news organization, has published a new book documenting Mike Krzyzewski’s historic coaching career ahead of his final season leading the Blue Devils. This is a look at many pivotal moments. From the start of his own basketball career, to his time at Army, and his rough start at Duke, this is a fantastic read. Many important games are discussed, many former players and coachs are talked about, as well as the way Coach K had to adapt through the years. One of the fundamental truths that O’Connor teases out is the fact that there is a high cost to high achievement. And to reach these heights – 12 Final Fours and five NCAA titles, three Olympic championships – the cost is that much higher. The toll it takes on one’s health – physical and emotional – is significant. And yet, Coach K soldiers on. More than a year of activities and events will highlight Duke’s past and propel university into its second century About the only big picture thing that isn't detailed is Krzyzewski's involvement with the '92 Dream Team. There's plenty of documentation on that story elsewhere, which might explain why O'Connor just gives it a drive-by.