Why Coach K's 800 Wins Are Better Than You Think

Coach Mike Krzyzewski recently won 800 games while coaching the Duke Blue Devils. The result came in a nail-biter with North Carolina State where Duke won by a single point after not having the lead for most of the game. However, that is typical of Coach K: winning while behind the 8-ball in so many categories.
So why do I think his 800 wins are probably more significant than other coaches who have hit that magic number? There are only six in college basketball history, and Coach K's could stand out for many reasons. I've been following the Duke Blue Devils since 1987, so it wasn't hard for me to come up with these statistics.

Coach K's wins came in a short amount of time. Only Adolph Rupp and Dean Smith got their wins faster. Only Dean Smith got the most wins within 33 seasons, but coach K could surpass that if he wins two more games this year. He's averaged 24 wins per season in only 28 seasons. Since 1995, Duke has won at least 20 games each season. No other team can make that claim. Another significant statistic is that Coach K has more of these wins from the NCAA tournament than any other coach with 68. By the way, that 1995 season was when he only coached 12 games due to back surgery. When the team went 4-15 and they credited that horrible record to the interim coach Pete Gaudet, coach had this to say: "I should have been credited with all of the losses [...] Overall, the bottom line is, I'm responsible, even though I'm not there."

The Atlantic Coast Conference is the toughest conference to play in. This year, only two out of the 12 teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference have an overall record below .500, yet six teams are below .500 in the conference. There has not been more than three teams below .500 in the conference- since 1974! This is typical of the ACC, who usually sends five or six teams to the Big Dance every year. That means that Mike Krzyzewski has earned every win in not the easiest of environments, complete with 42 ACC Tournament wins and eight tournament championships. Of course, all those tough conference schedules have bred success later on in the season: three NCAA Championships and at least 10 Final Four appearances.

Coach K has played against the toughest opponents... The list of Atlantic Coast Conference players that have been successful in the NBA since 1975 is almost too long to type. Ralph Sampson, Horace Grant Michael Jordan, James Worthy, Tim Duncan, Rasheed Wallace, Jerry Stackhouse, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter Stephon Marbury...that's just a small list. And Coach K averaged 24 wins a season against THOSE players? The coaches are just as scary. Imagine facing Dean Smith, Roy Williams, Gary Williams and Jim Valvano on a regular basis?

...With the least accredited players. In the current season, the Duke Blue Devils boast no All-American players. In 33 seasons, Duke has had 20 All-Americans, many of them repeat winners like Grant Hill and J.J. Reddick. Yet there is Duke, always at the top of the rankings and performing consistently in the Big Dance. It's because Coach K has preached team success over individual success much like his mentor, Bob Knight.

The milestones are made quickly. It only took three years to get from 500 to 600 and 600 to 700, and four years from 700 to 800.Although there are many Duke haters out there, it is hard to doubt the success of coach Mike Krzyzewski's basketball teams and coaching talents. It won't be long until he reaches 900 wins.

Regardless of whether you love or hate Coach K, you have to respect the records and overall success with the Duke Blue Devils. To win against the toughest opponents year after year without the best of players signifies what great leadership can do for a team. Those 800 wins were hard-earned, and so will #903.