Duke basketball vs Wake Forest: Coach K ‘doing better’ after not coaching second half
Duke played the second half of its 76-74 ACC basketball win over Wake Forest Tuesday night without Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski on the bench.
“Coach Krzyzewski is not feeling well, and will not return to the bench tonight,” Duke spokesman Mike DeGeorge said during the second half.
The 75-year-old Krzyzewski coached the entire first half and walked off the court with the Blue Devils leading 42-33. During one timeout during the first half, Duke’s assistants appeared concerned about Krzyzewski’s health and requested the training staff bring him water.
“Clearly coach wasn’t himself,” Duke associate head coach Jon Scheyer said. “He wasn’t right.”
Scheyer, who will take over as head coach when Krzyzewski retires after this season, coached the team during the second half.
After the game, Scheyer said Krzyzewski “First and foremost we were concerned about coach and his health. Coach is doing better. But he’s doing better. He’s in a much better place.”
Said Duke freshman forward Paolo Banchero, “He’s one of the toughest guys I know. He came and gave us a talk, just like he would have had he been coaching.”
Krzyzewski’s wife, Mickie, left her usual seat where she watched the game during the first half and did not return for the second half.
This is the second time Krzyzewski has been unavailable to coach the Blue Devils this season. Both times have been against Wake Forest.
Due to a non-COVID illness, Krzyzewski did not travel with the team to Winston-Salem when Duke beat Wake Forest 76-64 on Jan. 12 at Joel Coliseum. Scheyer also coached the team that night.
More from Duke’s win over Wake Forest
- Blue Devils edge Demon Deacons to complete sweep with Coach K unavailable after half
Another odd step forward toward farewell, with Coach K ill and a narrow Duke escape
This story was originally published February 15, 2022 at 8:11 PM.