Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski will not examine groups from his 42 seasons with the Blue Devils, not to mention choose which one stands out amongst his 5 nationwide champions.
“Just like I don’t rate my daughters or my grandchildren,” he mentioned final week.
After an inconsistent common season, the surprising Last 4 run from this yr’s crew may make the 2021-22 Blue Devils one in every of his favorites, nonetheless.
“They’ve grown up so much in the last 12 days,” Krzyzewski mentioned after Duke beat Texas Tech 78-73 within the Candy 16. “It’s such a joy. It’s an amazing thing.”
However is that this crew one in every of his greatest? Not when there’s this a lot competitors for No. 1.
These 5 titles. 13 journeys to the Last 4. 13 regular-season ACC championships and 15 match championships. From worst to greatest, here is the place Krzyzewski’s 42 groups rank. (Every season lists Duke’s general report, convention report and NCAA Event end, the place relevant.)
42. 1994-95: 13-18, 2-14
That report comes with an asterisk: Krzyzewski coached solely the primary 12 video games, going 9-3, earlier than stepping apart for the remainder of the yr resulting from exhaustion and a again harm. Total, the 18 losses stay probably the most in a single season in this system’s historical past. However the 15 losses suffered below interim coach Pete Gaudet do not go on Krzyzewski’s résumé; Duke credit him solely with the primary three on the season.
41. 2020-21: 13-11, 9-9
Final yr’s crew suffered three separate three-game shedding streaks and got here in tenth within the ACC for the worst end of Krzyzewski’s profession. There is a built-in excuse for this one-off decline within the type of the pandemic, which was a hurdle Duke was unable to beat — the coronavirus pressured the Blue Devils to drop out of the quarterfinals of the convention match and left them out of the at-large match dialog. From 1983 by means of his remaining yr, that is one in every of solely two Krzyzewski-coached groups at Duke to not make the match.
40. 1982-83: 11-17, 3-11
39. 1981-82: 10-17, 4-10
38. 1995-96: 18-13, 8-8 (first spherical)
37. 1980-81: 17-13, 8-8
Duke did not flip right into a dynasty in a single day. Whereas his first crew reached the NIT quarterfinals, that was nonetheless a step again from the 1979-80 season, when the Blue Devils went 24-9, received the ACC match championship and reached the Elite Eight. Krzyzewski’s subsequent two groups had been worse, with a mixed mark of 21-34 general and 7-21 in convention play. Assist was on the best way within the type of a freshman signing class that arrived in 1982 and kickstarted a dynasty.
36. 2006-07: 22-11, 8-8 (first spherical)
35. 1983-84: 24-10, 7-7 (second spherical)
34. 1984-85: 23-8, 8-6 (second spherical)
One of many nice signing lessons in ACC historical past — consisting of Jay Bilas, David Henderson and Johnny Dawkins — stepped on campus and altered the course of this system. The 1983-84 crew then added freshman Tommy Amaker and reached the NCAA Event for the primary time below Krzyzewski. Two years later, he’d make his first Last 4 look.
33. 2015-16: 25-11, 11-7 (Candy 16)
32. 1992-93: 24-8, 10-6 (second spherical)
31. 2016-17: 28-9, 11-7 (second spherical)
30. 2013-14: 26-9, 13-5 (first spherical)
29. 2011-12: 27-7, 13-3 (first spherical)
Here is a sequence of groups that might symbolize the high-water mark for the huge majority of faculty coaches. As a substitute, these are a few of the most underachieving groups of Krzyzewski’s tenure. The 1992-93 crew was sandwiched between back-to-back nationwide champions and the nationwide runner-up. The teams of the 2010s are virtually indistinguishable: Duke was ejected early a number of instances, together with first-round match exits in 2012 (Lehigh) and 2014 (Mercer) that delighted the haters.
28. 1986-87: 24-9, 9-5 (Candy 16)
27. 1996-97: 24-9, 12-4 (second spherical)
26. 2002-03: 26-7, 11-5 (Candy 16)
25. 2019-20: 25-6, 15-5
The 2019-20 crew is troublesome to rank given how the season was canceled earlier than match play on account of the rising pandemic. Duke spent a lot of the yr inside the highest 10 of the Ferris Mowers Coaches Ballot, together with a number of weeks at No. 1, however limped to the end line of the common season with three losses in its remaining six video games. The Blue Devils had been nonetheless ranked among the many nationwide title favorites earlier than the remainder of the season was canceled.
24. 1987-88: 28-7, 9-5 (Last 4)
23. 2004-05: 27-6, 11-5 (Candy 16)
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22. 2007-08: 28-6, 13-3 (second spherical)
Krzyzewski had the Blue Devils at 22-1 general and 10-0 within the ACC earlier than the 2007-08 season ran off the rails: Duke went 6-5 the remainder of the best way, barely escaping Belmont’s upset try within the first spherical of the match earlier than being ejected by West Virginia within the second. The 2004-05 crew was led by junior guard JJ Redick and may’ve overachieved by reaching the Candy 16.
21. 2008-09: 30-7, 11-5 (Candy 16)
20. 1988-89: 28-8, 9-5 (Last 4)
19. 2017-18: 29-8, 13-5 (Elite Eight)
18. 1989-90: 29-9, 9-5 (championship sport)
Every of the highest 21 groups on this checklist received 28 or extra video games and superior no less than so far as the Candy 16. In 1989-90, Duke reached the title sport solely to get blown out by UNLV; the 30-point margin (103-73) stays a report for the championship. All 5 starters on the 2017-18 crew turned professional after that season, led by guard Jayson Tatum, making it one of the gifted teams of Krzyzewski’s tenure.
17. 2012-13: 30-6, 14-4 (Elite Eight)
16. 1999-00: 29-5, 15-1 (Candy 16)
Krzyzewski earned a uncommon nod as ACC Coach of the Yr in 1999-00 — he’d solely win 5 instances in his 42 seasons — after milking 29 wins and a Candy 16 bid out of a fairly younger group that lapped the remainder of the convention. A yr later, that very same forged would put collectively a dominant run to the nationwide title. The 2012-13 crew was the most effective within the nation for a lot of the season and spent a month at No. 1 however could not get previous eventual nationwide champion Louisville within the Elite Eight.
15. 1993-94: 28-6, 12-4 (championship sport)
14. 2010-11: 32-5, 13-3 (Candy 16)
13. 2005-06: 32-4, 14-2 (Candy 16)
12. 1997-98: 32-4, 15-1 (Elite Eight)
In 1993-94, Duke got here up simply shy of this system’s third title in 4 years after shedding 76-72 to Arkansas within the championship sport. The squads in 2010-11, 2005-06 and 1997-98 are three of his greatest to not win all of it: Duke spent each week of 1997-98 inside the highest three however coughed up a 10-point halftime lead and misplaced to Kentucky within the Elite Eight.
11. 2021-22: 32-6, 16-4 (Last 4)
As in 2017-18, Duke is ready to ship as many as 5 gamers from this yr’s roster into the June NBA draft — and all 5 might go within the first spherical. This will not be the most effective crew of Krzyzewski’s tenure however it does stand as one in every of his best teaching jobs. Starting with the ultimate minutes of a win towards Michigan State within the second spherical, Duke has been a distinct crew within the match after an uneven common season.
10. 2003-04: 31-6, 13-3 (Last 4)
9. 2001-02: 31-4, 13-3 (Candy 16)
8. 2009-10: 35-5, 13-3 (nationwide champions)
That 2009-10 ranks final amongst Krzyzewski’s 5 nationwide champions is an announcement in itself, for the reason that Blue Devils had been deep, skilled and sometimes dominant on each ends. Led by senior guard and future Krzyzewski alternative Jon Scheyer, Duke went 17-0 at dwelling and misplaced simply as soon as from February on to say a title within the third straight decade.
7. 2018-19: 32-6, 14-4 (Elite Eight)
6. 2014-15: 35-4, 15-3 (nationwide champions)
Krzyzewski harnessed the facility of the one-and-done prospect in 2014-15. Constructed round freshmen Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow, the Blue Devils went 11-1 in video games determined by single digits and beat a way more skilled Wisconsin crew to seize the fifth and most up-to-date title of his tenure.
5. 1985-86: 37-3, 12-2 (championship sport)
With Bilas, Dawkins and Henderson now seniors, Amaker, a junior, and newcomer Danny Ferry coming off the bench, Duke misplaced two video games in three days in January however was in any other case flawless all the best way to the ultimate evening of the season. The Blue Devils would lose a detailed one to Louisville for the nationwide championship and make one other three Last 4 journeys earlier than Krzyzewski’s first title. The 37 wins set a program report later tied in 1998-99.
4. 2000-01: 35-4, 13-3 (nationwide champions)
Sandwiched amongst one other 5 – 6 groups greater than adequate to win all of it, the 2000-01 squad put all of it collectively behind a roster starring Shane Battier, Jay Williams, Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy, Nate James and Chris Duhon. The offense averaged 90.7 factors per sport and is likely one of the greatest in faculty basketball historical past.
3. 1998-99: 37-2, 16-0 (championship sport)
Probably the greatest groups in historical past to not win all of it, Duke misplaced by two factors to Cincinnati on Nov. 28 and by three factors to Connecticut within the title sport on March 29. Of the 37 wins, simply three got here by single digits. 4 gamers would go early within the subsequent draft: Elton Model at No. 1, Trajan Langdon at No. 11, Corey Maggette at No. 13 and William Avery at No. 14. This was a completely dominant group that might’ve challenged for the highest spot by sealing the deal towards the Huskies.
2. 1990-91: 32-7, 11-3 (nationwide champions)
1. 1991-92: 34-2, 14-2 (nationwide champions)
The groups that turned Duke into probably the most envied and hated-on program within the nation. (You’ll be able to largely thank Christian Laettner for that.) After knocking on the door for the second half of the Eighties, the Blue Devils upset UNLV in 1991 after which repeated a yr later behind Laettner’s heroics within the Elite Eight towards Kentucky. Starring Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley, the 1991-92 crew is likely one of the greatest in faculty basketball historical past and Krzyzewski’s best achievement.
Observe schools reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg
This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Final Four: Coach K’s 42 Duke teams, ranked. Which one is No. 1?
