DURHAM -- DURHAM -- When the day comes that Mike Krzyzewski no longer feels the same competitive edge that has fueled him for 36 years, to four national titles and Olympic gold, he promises to walk away.
That day came for Dean Smith 14 years ago, after 879 wins. Krzyzewski reached that milestone Monday with a 98-72 win over Elon, but isn’t ready to walk away. Not even close.
“Coach looks like he’s just starting,” Duke guard Nolan Smith said. “He’s fresh. He’s eager for more wins. He’s in his prime.”
For the next eight days, Krzyzewski and Smith will stand side-by-side in the record books, the two men whose personalities came to represent their fiercely rival programs united, briefly, by history.
On Dec. 29, Krzyzewski will have the chance to pass Smith against UNC-Greensboro, and then, what’s next? What else could possibly be on Krzyzewski’s to-do list at this point in his career?
National titles, Olympic gold -- Krzyzewski has them both. He’s 23 wins away from joining mentor Bob Knight atop the all-time wins list,
a plateau he could reach, and surpass, as early as the ACC tournament.
Smith retired at 66, but at 63, Krzyzewski has been adding to his portfolio of responsibilities in recent years, not cutting back,
signing up for another Olympic cycle. It’s entirely within the realm of possibility he could go flying by Smith and Knight and everyone else, becoming the first -- and potentially only -- coach to get to 1,000 wins.
“He could have won more games if he lingered,” Krzyzewski said. “Somebody like him or somebody like me will not linger, because we didn’t get in this to linger. …
“I would hope that as long as I’m coaching, I will be as competitive as I can be and not linger. And not linger. That’s why I’m glad we won this game and we can get on to better things, because my team has to become better and that’s all I’m concerned with.”
There’s certainly enough on his plate. Even with Kyrie Irving on the bench, his right foot in a cast for who knows how much longer, the top-ranked Blue Devils have as good a chance at winning a national title as anyone out there.
The London Olympics are only 18 months away, a blink of the eye by the standards of international basketball, and no matter what happens this season, another powerful recruiting class arrives on Duke’s campus next fall. It’s all business as usual.
“Coach is as fiery as he’s been since I was a freshman,” Duke forward Kyle Singler said, then chuckled. “He should have a couple more years.”
By any measure, 879 wins is a career. It was for Smith. It was for John Wooden and Adolph Rupp and all the other legends who never got this far. While Jim Boeheim and Jim Calhoun aren’t far behind Krzyzewski, there are great active coaches piling up wins at record rates, like Roy Williams (621 wins at age 60) and Tom Izzo (371 wins at age 55) who are unlikely to join the group.
What’s different in this case is that while Smith (and Knight)finished their careers in this neighborhood, Krzyzewski still has work left to do.
“I know it’s like a milestone, but I’m more interested in how we become a better team this year,” Krzyzewski said.
On the night Krzyzewski moves alongside Smith, the Blue Devils are ranked No. 1 and undefeated. That sounds like it’s exactly the way Krzyzewski would want it.
What’s next may be as simple as more of the same.
