Duke basketball's brotherhood, coach Mike Krzyzewski said, began decades ago, long before players even entertained thoughts about being one-and-done players.
The ACC Network's debut Thursday night includes an original program that backs up Krzyzewski's proclamation.
"The Class that Saved Coach K," is the new network's feature-length documentary that reveals how Duke's 1982 recruiting class improbably came together.
The show, scheduled to debut on the ACC Network at 9 p.m. Thursday, examines how the six-man class headed by Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Jay Bilas and David Henderson was recruited and ultimately transformed the Blue Devils from ACC also-rans into champions.
In doing so, even Krzyzewski admits in the film, those players kept him employed at Duke when the school's big-money boosters were openly making plans for his ouster.
Jonathan Hock, known for his excellent work on several ESPN Films documentaries, including the 2013 story of NC State's 1983 NCAA championship team "Survive and Advance," directed this Duke documentary.
It includes plenty of game footage and interviews from the film's time period from 1980-86, along with present day interviews from the players and Krzyzewski.
Interspaced throughout the film are scenes from a dinner held earlier this year at the University Club, atop the 17-story University Tower in Durham.
The dinner featured Krzyzewski along with players from the 1986 team that went 37-3, winning Krzyzewski's first ACC championship and playing in his first Final Four before losing 72-69 to Louisville in the NCAA final.
The 1982 recruits were senior stars on that team but it also featured players who followed them to Duke, like Tommy Amaker, Danny Ferry, Quin Snyder and Billy King.
But the six players who were recruited in 1981 and arrived in 1982 are the main focus.
The film takes viewers back nearly 40 years to a time when Cameron Indoor Stadium was half-full for most games and Krzyzewski was an unproven coach with a name few outside the Triangle could pronounce.
Bilas plays a main role in the film as an executive producer along with John Dahl and Sandy Montag. Bilas, who's currently an ESPN basketball analyst appears on camera often.
Together Bilas, Dahl and Montag importantly paint a picture of the college basketball hierarchy at that time in the ACC and the Triangle.
