Coach K's 5th Title the Most Impressive in a Legendary Career

INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Krzyzewski was in the midst of a postgame interview Monday when an arena official summoned him toward the ladder at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow and Duke's other star players had taken celebratory snips of the nylon that dangled from the rim after the Blue Devils' 68-63 victory over Wisconsin in the NCAA championship game.

Now it was time for the Hall of Fame coach to finish the job.

"If you'll excuse me," Krzyzewski told reporters, "I'm gonna cut down that net."

Krzyzewski headed toward the basket but then saw something that made him alter his course. A few feet away, someone in a No. 5 jersey giggled as he ran in circles chasing confetti.

Krzyzewski sneaked up from behind, swooped the child off his feet and beamed as he lifted him into the air in celebration. It was his 20-month-old grandson Caden in a No. 5  jersey like Tyus Jones, clutching a stuffed monkey and sucking on a pacifier.

The coach spent the next few minutes taking pictures with his family before finally cutting away at the net.

"Can you believe this?" Krzyzewski whispered to his daughter, Lindy, who is Caden's mom. "Seriously, can you believe it?"

Of course she could.

The middle of Krzyzewski's three children, Lindy was a teenager when her dad won his first championship back in 1991. Her older sister, Debbie, was in college while Jamie, the youngest, was in elementary school.

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That night and after three other seasons before this one, the Krzyzewskis celebrated amid the cheers and streamers as "One Shining Moment" played in the background. New generations were welcomed and the decades changed—but the feeling was always the same.

Until Monday.

"This year," Lindy said, "feels different."

That, more than anything, is what will be remembered most about Krzyzewski's fifth national title.

Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley led a dynasty that won back-to-back championships in 1991 and 1992, a blend of youth (Jay Williams) and experience (Shane Battier) helped the Blue Devils capture the crown in 2001, and a senior-laden squad high on grit and determination—but low on NBA talent—overachieved en route to the trophy in 2010.

But in winning his latest national title, Krzyzewski put on his most impressive coaching performance yet.

Entering the season, the one knock on Krzyzewski during his 40-year head coaching career was his stubbornness, his insistence on doing things one way—his way—even though the landscape was evolving around him.

In so many ways, that changed in 2015.

A staunch proponent of a man-to-man attack, Krzyzewski recognized his team's defensive deficiencies in January and began occasionally mixing in a zone. He booted junior guard Rasheed Sulaimon from the squad later that month for a series of off-court incidents. It was the first time Krzyzewski had ever dismissed a player, but it clearly helped team chemistry both on and off the court.

Krzyzewski handled another delicate situation masterfully when he moved senior Quinn Cook, a two-year starter at point guard, to shooting guard after signing McDonald's All-American Jones. Rather than rebel, Cook embraced his new role and finished second on the team in scoring.

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But the most glaring aspect about what may be Krzyzewski's coaching masterpiece—the thing that will forever define the 2014-15 Blue Devils—is that college basketball's all-time wins leader captured a title with the very brand of player he had once tried his hardest to avoid:

One-and-dones.

Whether it was projected No. 1 draft pick Okafor during the regular season, surefire lottery selection Winslow in the Sweet 16 and Elite Eight, or Jones in Monday's title game, a trio of freshmen who will probably be NBA millionaires by the end of the summer led Duke all season.

Mix in McDonald's All-American guard Grayson Allen, and freshmen accounted for 60 of Duke's 68 points against Wisconsin, including all 37 points after intermission.

"It's important to adapt with the times," Krzyzewski said. "And I've adapted well."

Krzyzewski had experimented with NBA-bound freshmen in the past to mixed success. In seasons with one-and-dones since 2011, Duke had won just two NCAA tournament games and had twice lost in the Round of 64.

But something about this group felt special.

Krzyzewski began to sense it in the fall of 2013 when Okafor, Jones and Winslow traveled to Durham for their official visit. The trio had teamed together for years with USA Basketball, with Okafor and Jones becoming particularly close.

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While the threesome played pickup ball with former Duke standouts Rodney Hood and Jabari Parker on the court behind Krzyzewski's home, the Blue Devils' coaching staff sat in the living room with the players' families, laughing and sharing stories from the road as if they were sitting around at a family reunion.

"I'm not sure I've ever laughed that much in my life," assistant coach Jeff Capel said. "In all of my years of coaching, I've never experienced such an amazing visit. It felt like a big family reunion. I left there thinking, 'This has to happen. It was meant to be.' "

All three players signed national letters of intent with Duke that fall, and Krzyzewski made a vow to develop as strong of a relationship as possible with each of them before they ever arrived at Duke. He called them frequently and attended as many of their prep games as possible. He made sure upperclassmen such as Quinn Cook and Amile Jefferson stayed in contact and were gracious hosts when the players visited Durham.

Still, not even Krzyzewski expected Okafor, Winslow and Jones to blend into the program's framework so quickly and as seamlessly.

"They had that chemistry right away," Krzyzewski said. "It's been an incredible group. I've never had a group that had the chemistry, the brotherhood, that this group has.

"They're so humble. They want to be led. They don't want it all to be about them."

That was especially important to Cook, who was told he needed to "grow up" after Duke's Round of 64 loss to No. 14 seed Mercer last season. Cook did that and more, handling his position change with maturity and taking on a "big brother" role as it pertained to Duke's freshmen.

All of it strengthened the family atmosphere that Krzyzewski labeled as the biggest key to Duke's championship. And it didn't stop with the players.

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Whether it was Okafor's father, Chucky, dancing for cameras in the stands or Winslow's mother, Robin, dangling her keys toward opposing fans who needed to "start up their cars" when it became obvious Duke would win, Krzyzewski seemed more attentive to the Blue Devils' parents than ever before, often pointing to them as the final seconds ticked away in big wins.

Krzyzewski's own family got involved too. Winslow said the coach's twin granddaughters sent him notes of encouragement when he wasn't playing well, and on Sunday night, Cook treated a few of the other kids to ice cream at the team hotel.

Examples like that make it easy to understand Krzyzewski's love for this team.

"He has so loved coaching this year," Lindy said of her father. "He has been so happy. Usually he has that scowl, where he's so intense and red-faced. You saw very little of that this year. He loved these boys and they loved one another. They were tough. They were on a mission."

It appeared the mission had been derailed when Duke trailed Wisconsin 48-39 with 13 minutes, 25 seconds remaining. Lindy was so nervous that she left her seat in the stands and walked upstairs to the concourse, where she encountered former Duke star and 2010 NCAA champion Nolan Smith.

"He was pale, he was bawling," said Lindy, noting that Smith has a close bond with Cook, partially because both of them lost their fathers at a young age.

As Smith and Lindy watched the game on a nearby monitor, they witnessed something that couldn't have been more fitting. In a season already filled with adjustments, Krzyzewski made one more crucial one, inserting Allen, the afterthought of Duke's 2015 recruiting class, to help Duke win the game.

A guard who averaged just 4.4 points per game this season, Allen scored every point for his team during an 8-3 scoring run that pulled Duke within four points, 51-47. Allen's outburst was part of a 16-point effort that energized the Blue Devils, who fed off the momentum as they rallied for a win.

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"I love Coach [John] Wooden and what he did at UCLA," ESPN commentator Dick Vitale said after Monday's game. "But right now I firmly believe that the best coach to ever work a sideline is Coach K."

As the final horn sounded Monday, Okafor rushed toward Jones and embraced him, his weight eventually sending them tumbling to the floor. Winslow hopped on top of each of them before the rest of the Blue Devils joined the dog pile, some laughing, some screaming and some even crying as cameras flashed from every direction.

Krzyzewski joined in too, rushing to hug players as they rose from the hardwood before standing with his arm around Cook during the playing of "One Shining Moment." Tears trickled from Cook's eyes when an image of Krzyzewski and him flashed upon the screen. The coach pulled Cook so close to him that they were literally touching cheeks.

"When you're already happy and you get happier, it's pretty good," Krzyzewski said. "It's pretty damned good."

Moments later a reporter reminded Krzyzewski that this was his fifth NCAA title.

"Yeah," he said, "but I've only won it once with this group. It's just about this group. That's who I've been in my coaching career and it's served me well."

Duke fans will be shocked if Okafor and Winslow return for a second season, and there's a strong chance Jones, who had a game-high 23 points, could enter the draft too. Still, no matter what happens in the ensuing weeks and months, it's clear Krzyzewski loves this team as much as any he's ever had.

With 1,018 career wins and five NCAA titles, it's easy to wonder how much longer the 68-year old will continue to coach. But thanks to a trio of one-and-dones—and Krzyzewski's willingness to coach them— there's no reason to think the end will come anytime soon.

"If he keeps getting guys like that," Lindy said, "I don't see why he'd ever stop."

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR.