Men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski returned his team to the top of the college basketball world last season, with Duke winning 15 of 16 regular-season ACC games and coming within a few minutes of the Final Four. Expectations are as high as ever as the Blue Devils look ahead to next year. For now, though, Krzyzewski is just as focused on the future of the athletic department, and more specifically the state of Cameron Indoor Stadium (see story, p. 16). But in his annual summer interview with The Chronicle, Krzyzewski also discussed his new job title and, of course, Duke basketball. Interview conducted by Joel Israel and Nick Tylwalk.
c How do you define your new role as assistant to the Athletic Director?
Well, I think I have been for a while, it's just a matter of making that formal. Especially over the last 10, 12 years, I'm a basketball coach but I've been like an ambassador for the school. When I walk around, I'm Duke. All of the things I do, whether it be with the Children's Hospital, the Coaches' Association, U.S. Basketball, the V Foundation-it's just formalized now and I think what it does, for me, is firm up my commitment publicly even more to Duke. I like that it came out now as Joe [Alleva] begins his regime to show that I'm fully committed to him.
I think it had a positive impact on administrators, people in the school. Maybe in a more formal manner I'll be a part of some brainstorming sessions about the University and people will be more comfortable than with just having the basketball coach. The assistant to the Athletic Director doesn't happen to a lot of coaches. I like that kind of stuff.
c Did it surprise you at all how high the expectations were for your team last year, even though you hadn't gotten to that point in four years, and suddenly people are expecting a Final Four and even a national championship?
Nothing surprises me too much in sports because I've been in it for a long time. I like that people have high expectations for us. I think that we have to always follow our own expectations and realize what we have accomplished. We've had to rebuild the program with a high expectation level-that's harder to do.
The year before (1996-97), starting four guards and a forward, if that team was somewhere else it would've been given a nickname and people would have shirts. That's two years after they finished last in the conference. What would a school pay to have that turnaround?
And then the following year to win 15 [ACC] games and win the regular season again, be ranked No. 1 six, seven weeks and have a chance to win the national title. I mean, come on. These kids did a great job, and they know that I know that. Nationally they're given more than locally.
But I'm not playing for you. We're playing for us. They lost to a team (Kentucky) that they could've beaten, that they were beating. But they lost
c A lot of times last year you said that you were good but weren't a great team yet. Do you think next year, with the experience you bring back, that you'll have that potential to be a great team?
Yeah, we should be really good. You don't know if you'll be an outstanding team because you don't know how the chemistry of the team will develop. Talent and experience-wise, we feel we have a chance to beat anyone we play. I wouldn't say that last year because I didn't know them; now I know our guys. And I know how hard they're working, and I know again we're not going to have any personnel problems. If we're healthy, that's the important thing. But we believe we're going to be really good and have the chance to beat anyone.
At times last year we were immature and played our butts off. Hopefully now we'll be mature and play our butts off. I think we have a chance to be a better team. We learned from the Kentucky game and moved on.
If you see our guys, we're much bigger. [Chris] Burgess is 15 pounds heavier, Shane [Battier] is 10 pounds heaver, Elton [Brand] looks like he did in December, not late February. I think all of our players will be better and then it's a matter of can we use them the right way and find the right combinations.
c The last few years you've had a group of freshmen come in together, which has made it easier on them to adapt to being in college. Is there any concern this year may be difficult for Corey Maggette because he's the only freshman coming in?
I think we have to be careful off the court. Socially, we have to watch that. Basketball-wise I think he benefits with such a veteran team around him. I think they'll be able to help Corey, and we'll be able to help because everyone will be more sure of themselves and we'll be able to focus more on Corey.
He's not behind physically. He'll be as good an athlete as we have.
c The one spot on your roster where there doesn't seem to be as much depth is at guard. How do you see that shaping out?
Conventionally you can say that, but we've never been a conventional team. Ballhandling, if we were using a conventional system it would appear that [William] Avery and [Trajan] Langdon would be the only guys. But because we have a big team, we don't need to do it like other people do, so we won't.
I have confidence in William, but if Battier gets a rebound he'll bring it up. Elton can handle the ball after a rebound or turnover-you get unconventional breaks as a result of that. Normally, though, William, Trajan, Chris Carrawell and Corey might bring it up.
c Were you surprised
I was surprised about Mike because after the season I have individual meetings with players where we talk about everything. My meeting with Mike was good, it was down-to-earth just like everyone else. A week after that we have meetings to talk about academics, and we went through that with Mike too. We talked about getting him an internship for the summer in Detroit.
Nothing was ever brought up. The day after the [annual team] banquet he said he wanted to meet with me, and he said he had been thinking about leaving for a few months. My question was 'Why didn't we talk about it?' It's not a matter of talking him out of anything but discussing the situation. I don't think we ever did that, but that's his prerogative.
c From all indications you're looking for next year to be a big recruiting year?
We're looking to bring in a bigger class, anywhere from three to five. To me last year was a big recruiting year because we got the guy we wanted. Numbers don't determine how important they are. But we're losing Trajan and Taymon [Domzalski] and you never know if you're going to lose anyone else in this day and age.
c You mention the possibility of losing someone else. It's one of the most sacred testimonies to this program, but do you think the day is coming where one of your players could leave early after two or three years?
I'd be naive to think kids will always stay here for four years. We are going to have somebody go early eventually. We'll handle it case by case. All the kids who come here already value an education, maturity, values and the things that will last them for a lifetime. It's important for them. If a kid is thinking about leaving, I'll be honest with them and look at their situation as best as I can. I'll always try to help my players.
But you get so much more from staying here four years. Grant [Hill] learned more his senior year than maybe any of the other years combined. I don't think Grant Hill would be as good if he'd left early-he'd probably tell you that. As good as he was, he could hide for a little bit. Before a kid leaves he has to learn how to be the star. I truly believe Grant's decision was an amazing one.
c Other notes:
Krzyzewski said Matt Christensen will be returning and a decision on whether or not to redshirt him will be made sometime in the preseason. Christensen has been on a Mormon mission the past two years and does not automatically have to sit out this season.
Both Steve Wojciechowski and Ricky Price are hoping to continue their basketball careers. The NBA lockout is likely to continue long enough to eliminate the usual summer rookie camps that give players a chance to play for rookie versions of NBA teams. Krzyzewski said either could play in Europe if they have to, though it might be a more likely scenario for Price.
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