Coach K and 2010

[LSanders]

As we all drool over the possibilities of what Kyle, Kyrie and Kompany will achieve this year in the kapable hands of Coach, I thought I'd point out some milestones for K in what could be a banner year (particularly if we repeat):

- MOST WINS - If this year's team matches last year's 35 wins, K will have 903, which will put him one ahead of Coach Knight. He'd be X wins behind Herb Magee, who will be entering his 50th year at Philadelphia University and holds the NCAA Div II record with 907.

- Most ACC Championships - 13 would tie him with Dean ... Even though it took Dean 8 more years to earn those ACC banners.

- Most NCAA Wins - K's 77 wins is already #1. Dean is 2nd with 65. Ol' Roy is at 55 --> and HOLDING!!

- Best NCAA Winning % - Using 20 NCAA games as a cut-off, only Wooden at .825 tops K's at .778 winning percentage. Among active coaches, Roy's at .753 and Izzo's at .745.

- Most Final Fours - Wooden has 12. K and Dean are tied at 11.

- Most NCAA Championships - Wooden, of course, has 10. Rupp made it to 5 championship games and won 4 titles (his only loss being in the famous Texas Western game). K has been in the big game 8 times and won 4. So, like most things NCAA, a win will put K behind only Wooden. Coach Knight was 3 for 3 in the big game.

In addition, another "banner" year would mean Duke would move to 19 ACC titles (compared to the 'Holes 17) and would tie us with UNC and IN with 5 championships in men's basketball.

Truly remarkable.

[4decadedukie]

I wonder if the highest sustained graduation rates in a continuously top-tier, modern Division I basketball might also apply? Similarly, I wonder if the only enduring, peerlessly successful program with essentially no unethical or duplicitous behavior would be true? If so, those achievements are worthy of equal standing to any specifically athletic honors.

[msdukie]

Actually, should K win his 13th ACC Championship this year, he would have done so in 5 less years than Dean. El Deano was UNC's coach for 36 years. This is K's 31st year at Duke.

As much as everyone talks about K passing Dean's 879 wins this year, those are overall wins. In the endless K v. Dean debate, I think K getting 880 DUKE wins and passing Dean's Kerlina win total is of far more importance, especially since he should do so in less than 36 seasons at Duke. He has 5 seasons to get 85 more wins. This would presumably make K the 2nd winningest coach at one school since we don't know when Boeheim will retire and he became HC at Syracuse 4 years earlier than K arrived at Duke.

K's accomplishments are extraordinary. Let's enjoy this and not count our chickens before they are hatched.