Duke's 'Coach K' expresses concern for ACC basketball at Richmond Forum
Famed Duke University basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, better known as Coach K, offered his thoughts on the state of college sports at the Richmond Forum on Saturday night.
Krzyzewski spoke to a sold-out crowd at the 3,600-seat theater, delivering a lecture on leadership and interspersing stories from his time coaching Duke's men's basketball team, as well as the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team.
During a Q&A session following the speech, he was asked about the state of college sports.
"The main thing is to recognize that what is happening is happening, and it's not going to go away," Krzyzewski said of Name, Image and Likeness rulings that allow players to make money while playing college sports, as well as the transfer portal, which allows players easier movement between schools.
"We need leadership. The NCAA has not provided any leadership. So the four power conferences, the commissioners, they have to be the leaders in creating a new model."
He added that transparency is a must, noting that in all major professional sports, teams operate knowing how much their opponents are spending on players, but that is not currently the case in college athletics.
On the subject of the ACC, which was once considered college basketball's best conference, Krzyzewski offered a blunt warning.
"I think the conference is in bad shape — in a lot of ways," he said. "Overall, we're either third or fourth of the power four conferences."
He said even though Duke is currently one of the nation's top teams, he worries about the Blue Devils not being tested during conference play the way other teams are, which could leave them less prepared for the NCAA tournament.
"This is, I think, the weakest that I've seen the conference basketball-wise," he said, noting that the SEC has made a commitment to the sport, and the ACC will need to find a way to catch up.
He lamented that North Carolina and Virginia have both struggled to maintain success after the departures of coaches Roy Williams and Tony Bennett, noting that Duke had a succession plan in place that helped keep the school on a positive trajectory.
"I really like Tony," he said of the departing UVA coach. "He built a really good program there, but the manner in which he left lends itself to say that there wasn't a plan.
"I don't know if he'll resurface in college, but he's a really good coach and he's a good guy. He's a really, really good guy. I enjoy our friendship."
(Note: This article's author served as the moderator of the Q&A session, but the questions asked were written by Forum attendees.)
