"This group is worthy of winning": Duke legend Coach K gets candid on Cooper Flagg and Co.'s national championship chances
Duke will play in its first Final Four since the departure of the legendary Coach K, who has backed the current Blue Devils group to win the national title, on Saturday.
Mike Krzyzewski, famously known as Coach K, talked about why he believes Duke can go all the way on a SiriusXM podcast.
"This group is worthy of winning a national championship," he said in a clip posted on social media on Wednesday. “Obviously, they are very talented. They have been really good kids. They help one another. They are a very cohesive group.”
Cooper Flagg and Co. have had a phenomenal year. They have already won the ACC regular-season and tournament titles and reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament, where they will be facing the Houston Cougars on Saturday night in San Antonio, Texas.
If they go all the way, it will be the first time another coach would win a national title for the Blue Devils, with Coach K having won each of the program’s five NCAA championships.
Krzyzewski coached Duke for 42 seasons, achieving great success, including leading the program to 13 Final Four appearances out of 18 in total.
Current coach Jon Scheyer played under Coach K for four seasons and was part of the 2010 national championship-winning team.
Scheyer returned to the program in 2014 as an assistant coach, and he spent nine seasons in that role before succeeding the legendary coach in 2022.
Coach K full of praise for Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel’s parents
On the SiriusXM podcast, Coach K was asked what makes Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel so unselfish. In his response, he showered praise on their families.
“Their parents,” Krzyzewski said. “They want Cooper and Kon to be coached hard. That doesn’t mean being yelled at all the time, but they want them held accountable. Both of these kids understand accountability and know the importance of showing up every day to work. That comes from their families.”
Duke will be hoping that both players turn up when they take to the court against Houston on Saturday night as the Blue Devils look to win their first national title since 2015.