Duke's Krzyzewski reaches 1,000-win plateau

Fifth-ranked Duke defeated St. John's 77-68 at Madison Square Garden on Sunday for Mike Krzyzewski's 1,000th victory.

Duke had four players in double figures, led by Tyus Jones with a game-high 22 points. Quinn Cook and Jahlil Okafor had 17 while Amile Jefferson added 11 as the Blue Devils improved to 17-2.

St. John's (13-6), which led 43-39 at halftime, was led by Sir'Dominic Pointer's 21 points. The Red Storm held a 61-51 lead with 8:34 remaining before Cook hit a 3-pointer to give Duke a 63-61 lead inside six minutes.

Box Score

"Coach Krzyzewski has spent his career equipping young men for success on the court and in life," NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement. "Congratulations to Coach K on his 1,000th win, which is an historic achievement and important milestone in his remarkable career as a coach, educator and mentor."

Krzyzewski's coaching career began as an assistant on Bobby Knight's staff with the Indiana Hoosiers in 1974. Coach K was named the head coach at Army in 1975, and was 73-59 in five season before accepting the Duke position in 1980.

He won his 900th game on March 20, 2011, and on Nov. 15, 2011, earned No. 903 to eclipse Knight's record for the most Division I victories.

Krzyzewski's tenure at Duke has included four national championships (1991, 1992, 2001 and 2010) among 11 Final Four appearances in 29 tournament trips -- including 19 consecutive (1996 to 2014), the second-longest current streak behind Kansas (25). Coach K has the most tournament wins among active coaches (82-25).

Coach K is the second DI coach to reach the milestone. Tennessee women's coach Pat Summitt finished with 1,098 wins.

Coach K's coaching tree includes 12 players and assistant coaches who have become head coaches:

• Tommy Amaker: Seton Hall (1997-2001), Michigan (2001-07), Harvard (2007-present)
• Bob Bender: Illinois State (1989-92) Washington (1993-2002)
• Mike Brey: Delaware (1995-2000), Notre Dame (2000-present)
• Jeff Capel: VCU (2002-06), Oklahoma (2006-11)
• Chris Collins: Northwestern (2013-present)
• Johnny Dawkins: Stanford (2008-present)
• Mike Dement: UNC Greensboro (1991-95, 2005-11), SMU (1995-2004)
• David Henderson: Delaware (2000-06)
• Bobby Hurley: Buffalo (2013-present)
• Tim O'Toole: Fairfield (1998-2006)
• Quin Snyder: Missouri (1999-2006)
• Chuck Swenson: William & Mary (1987-94)
• Steve Wojciechowski: Marquette (2014-present)

Two former players -- Jeff Capel and Nate James -- are assistants at Duke, and Jon Scheyer, another former player, is a special assistant for Coach K.

Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry and Brooklyn Nets GM Billy King are former players for Krzyzewski.

Other former players who are professional-league assistants include Bob Bender (NBA's Atlanta Hawks) and Chip Engelland (NBA's San Antonio Spurs) as well as Chris Carrawell NBDL's Springfield Armor).

Of note, Brey was the first former assistant coach to defeat Coach K, when Notre Dame nipped Duke 79-77 during the 2013-14 season.

The floor at Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium is named Coach K Court in Krzyzewski's honor, and the basketball practice facility is the Michael W. Krzyzewski Center.

Army inducted Krzyzewski into its sports hall of fame on Sept. 11, 2009. West Point also annually awards the Coach K Teaching Character Through Sports honor each spring to cadets and coaches who display superior ethics and character through sport.

Coach K was the 1989 Naismith national coach of the year and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001. Krzyzewski has been the ACC coach of the year five times (1984, 1986, 1997, 1999 and 2000).

As well as Coach K gameplans, he also works throughout the game with his players -- and on the officials.

Krzyzewski's preparation has resulted in 1,000 wins (and counting) as well as 28 first-round NBA draft choices, the first being forward Mark Alarie by Denver in 1986.

Coach K has been mentoring players for so long that the first player drafted from his tenure at Duke was Kenny Dennard, chosen by the Kansas City Kings in '81 (the team moved to Sacramento for the 1985-86 season).

Two Blue Devils have been the No. 1 overall pick: forward Elton Brand in 1999 (Chicago) and Kyrie Irving in 2011 (Cleveland).

Related:
• #FlashbackFriday: Krzyzewski's first game vs. St. John's as Duke coach
• As Krzyzewski's milestone looms, 1,000-win club remembers the climb