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Duke's Mike Krzyzewski to Retire After 2021-22 Season; Jon Scheyer Named Replacement
June 2, 2021
Legendary Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski plans to retire after the 2021-22 season.
Krzyzewski announced his decision in a statement on Wednesday:
"My family and I view today as a celebration. Our time at both West Point and Duke has been beyond amazing and we are thankful and honored to have led two college programs at world-class institutions for more than four decades. That, coupled with 11 unforgettable years as the United States National Team coach, has resulted in a remarkable journey. Certainly, I have been blessed to coach some of the finest young men and greatest players in basketball history as a direct result of these unique opportunities. For us, there is no greater joy than being part of our players' respective endeavors through basketball, and more importantly, their lives off the court. Our family is eternally grateful to everyone who contributed to our career for the past 46 years. So, to the countless members of our extended family, thank you very much."
Associate head coach Jon Scheyer was named as the successor to Krzyzewski.
Krzyzewski will be entering his 42nd season as the Duke head coach. He is the winningest coach in men's college basketball history with 1,170 victories and has led the Blue Devils to 12 Final Fours and five national championships. He coached Army for five years before taking over at Duke.
Duke has not gotten past the Elite Eight since it won the 2015 national championship, and it struggled to a 13-11 record last season. Coach K hinted that retirement could be near in an interview with Rece Davis in February.
"It's frustrating that you can't do all the things you normally do and you don't achieve that success," he said. "Well, in about a week, I'll be 74 years old. You know, whether it's the light at the end of the tunnel or the end of the cave or whatever the hell it is, it's there.
"Whenever it happens, it's going to happen. I can't be focused on that. I'm focused on this team."
Scheyer, 33, has been an assistant coach at Duke since 2013. The former Blue Devils guard has become a well-respected voice within the program and was promoted to associate head coach in 2018. Other programs have taken notice, with Scheyer interviewing for the head coaching position at DePaul in March.
As ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted, Scheyer was the lead recruiter when Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson came to Durham. It's possible a desire to leave the program in good hands and Scheyer's rising star within the coaching ranks led Coach K to reportedly walk away.
Krzyzewski's retirement means Duke and North Carolina will have lost their legendary coaches within a calendar year. Roy Williams announced his retirement following the 2020-21 season and was replaced by assistant Hubert Davis.