Hypocritical? Disingenuous? OK, those words are too strong to describe Mike Krzyzewski.
Then again, probably not.
Even if the supposedly righteous Coach K tells you we’re all living on Planet Earth, here’s the latest reason you should check several times: Two of his Duke University basketball players were pulled over early Sunday morning in North Carolina by cops for DWI-related charges. One of those players started Tuesday night during the No. 7 Blue Devils’ 92-52 victory at home over Gardner-Webb.
It just so happens that player was Paolo Banchero, a 19-year freshman who is Duke’s latest superstar in waiting.
The other player was Michael Savarino, Krzyzewski’s grandson.
Hmmmmm.
“Two different situations,” Krzyzewski told reporters after the Gardner-Webb game, when he was asked something like, “Why would a coach who has flaunted his love for values, discipline and fairness during his 41 years coaching Duke allow Banchero and Savarino to suit up with their court dates still weeks away?”
Not only that, but, “Why would that coach risk looking as ruthless as many of his peers — even against the likes of lowly Gardner-Webb — by putting his best player on the floor only days after that player takes a mug shot?”
In response, Krzyzewski told reporters: "Two entirely different situations. Headlines might make it look like it's the same — it's not. The decisions we made are in conjunction with our authorities, my superiors. We're taking action. We took action and we will continue to take action. We had a violation of our standards, and we'll handle that internally. We've already handled — are handling it.
“But, violation of our standards. And that's it."
Uh huh.
In case you’re wondering, Savarino received a scholarship last year after he walked onto his grandfather’s team. His mother is one of Duke’s assistant athletics director, and she also is one of Coach K’s daughters.
That’s not a good look, but this blown layup for Krzyzewski in what should have been a slam-dunk situation is mostly about Banchero, a 6-foot-9 sensation from hoops heaven via Seattle, Washington. He’ll dribble in the NBA next season after he becomes the No. 1 pick in the league’s draft next summer. He’s averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds after three collegiate games.
Now consider this: Krzyzewski said he’ll retire after this season.
If you didn’t know better, you would think the second-highest-paid coach in college basketball ($7.2 million per year in total pay, according to Yahoo.com) is obsessed with not allowing anything to get in his way of trying to win a sixth national championship.
At the very least, Coach K is suggesting he wishes to spend the spring after his 75th birthday in February grabbing a 13th trip to the Final Four, along with a 16th ACC tournament championship and 13th conference title during the regular season to complement his three Olympic gold medals as head of Team USA.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
The problem is, Krzyzewski has perfected the art of talking out of both sides of his mouth so much that nobody notices that he has double dribbled away his so-called principles on multiple occasions.
For instance:
- TripGate: When Grayson Allen was a Duke sophomore for the 2015-2016 season, he became infamous for tripping opponents. He continued doing so as a junior, and Duke said he was suspended indefinitely while losing his captain’s tag. It turned out “indefinitely” for Coach K was one game, and Allen admitted years later on a podcast the suspension was supposed to last the entire winter break.
- Dillon Brooks: In 2016, when Oregon eliminated Duke from the Sweet Sixteen in a blowout, Brooks sank a three-pointer at the buzzer for the winning Ducks, and Coach K yelled his disapproval at the opposing player. Brooks told the media about the incident, but after Krzyzewski was asked about it during his press conference, he denied it. Later, a CBS microphone verified the exchange, and Coach K suddenly regained his memory.
- Potty mouth: I’ve sat behind the Duke bench on press row several times during the regular season and March Madness, and Coach K doesn’t sound like a Sunday School teacher. Occasionally, he has been exposed. Such was the case after a February 2013 game in Virginia, where he didn’t exactly yell, “Flowers and fudge to you” toward fans screaming his way.
- One-and-dones: In 2005, the NBA allowed college players to enter its league after one college season (yep, one-and-done), and Coach K fumed over the system. In November 2013, he told the USA Today, “"It's (a) unique (freshman class), but next year could be unique. You could have 15 years of unique. What does that do to our game?” Well, um. During a two-year stretch through 2019, Krzyzewski had a slew of one-and-dones: Marvin Bagley III, Wendell Carter Jr. Gary Trent Jr., Zion Williamson, R.J. Barrett and Cam Reddish.
Banchero also is a one-and-done.
I’m guessing Coach K will have Banchero on the court for Duke Friday night against Lafayette, Monday night against The Citadel and the day after Thanksgiving when the Blue Devils play No. 1 Gonzaga in Las Vegas.
Which makes you wonder: Has there ever been a college basketball coach whose image doesn’t match reality more than Coach K?
I’m thinking.
I’m still thinking.
