Coach Krzyzewski Earns Election to Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski has been elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, officials announced Wednesday. Krzyzewski will be inducted into the Springfield, Mass., landmark Oct. 5.

The latest honor caps a remarkable year for the man who has coached Duke since 1980. Not only did he take the Blue Devils to the NCAA championship this past season - his third title in 21 years at Duke - but he also recorded his 500th victory at Duke and the floor at Cameron Indoor Stadium was named "Coach K Court" in his honor.

During a news conference Wednesday, Krzyzewski called the Hall of Fame election "the ultimate (professional) honor."

"Certainly when a coach is inducted, it's because he's had great players who formed great teams, and he's had amazing assistant coaches. I hope that all of those youngsters who played for me and people who worked with me will share in this honor," Krzyzewski said.

"My mom always told me to associate yourself with great people and great institutions, and I tried to do that at the United States Military Academy and here at Duke University. ... As a result, I've been around amazing people."

Krzyzewski also thanked his family, his former coaches, Duke administrators and others for their support over the years. He added that he feels better now than he has in the past eight or 10 years and plans to coach well into the future. "I feel like I'm a young guy who's got a lot of years left."

In his Durham Herald-Sun column on Wednesday, sportswriter Frank Dascenzo called Krzyzewski "the best coach in college basketball" and cited statistics to make his case:

-- a record of 606-223 in 26 seasons as a head coach, including five years at Army;

-- 533 wins, 164 losses in 21 seasons at Duke;

-- 56-14 in NCAA Tournament games;

-- Nine Final Fours, seven title games;

-- 9-1 in regional championship games;

-- Five straight ACC regular season titles and co-titles.

"Remarkable is one way to define Krzyzewski's steadiness, his ability to oversee the game he dearly loves and respects," Dascenzo wrote.

Raleigh News & Observer sportswriter A.J. Carr wrote Wednesday that "Hall of Famer fits Krzyzewski as perfectly as the handle, 'Coach K.' His election to the game's elite caste was inevitable."

In addition to Krzyzewski, the Hall also will induct longtime Temple University coach John Chaney and 12-time NBA All-Star Moses Malone on Oct. 5.