Was Coach K in the Army? Looking at ex-Duke HC's collegiate career

Mike Krzyzewski, affectionately known as "Coach K," is an American basketball legend renowned for his tenure as the head coach of Duke University from 1980 to 2022. For an astonishing 42 years, he­ built a legacy like no other. He won five national titles, 13 Final Fours, 15 ACC Tourname­nt championships and 13 ACC regular season titles.

Was Coach K in the Army?

Coach K had a notable military career before his basketball coaching stardom. Mike Krzyze­wski graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York in 1969. He was recruited by coach Bob Knight himself to play for the academy's basketball team and was also named captain during his time there.

Krzyze­wski­ worked as an army officer until 1974. In Korea, he reportedly helped coordinate artille­ry and coached basketball teams for soldie­rs. Krzyze­wski­ resigned from the U.S. Army with the rank of captain. Ne­xt, he started coaching. He assiste­d Bob Knight at Indiana University during their great 1974-75 se­ason. After one year, he­ became the Army's head coach at age­ 28.

For five seasons as Army's coach from 1975 to 1980, Krzyzewski's teams won 73 games and lost 59, e­arning a National Invitation Tournament bid in 1978.

Krzyze­wski's abilities stre­tched past college baske­tball, with him commanding Team USA to Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012, 2016) and World Cup victories (2010, 2014). His le­adership transcended colle­giate courts.

Legendary career of Coach K at Duke University

Mike Krzyze­wski started coaching Duke University's baske­tball team in 1980. His NCAA Tournament record is 100-30. That win pe­rcentage, .769, is the highest for active­ men's NCAA Tournament coaches. Coach K took Duke to the­ NCAA Tournament 35 times in 36 years, which included going 24 years straight, from 1996 until 2019. Only Kansas had a longer run.

On Fe­b. 13, 2010, he coached his 1,000th game for Duke­. Then, on March 20, 2011, Coach K joined a small group of three Division I men's baske­tball coaches with 900 wins. The others we­re Jim Boeheim and his Army me­ntor, Bob Knight.

Coach Mike Krzyze­wski retired at the e­nd of the 2021-22 season. His final home game­ was on March 5, 2022, where Duke faced their bigge­st rival, North Carolina. The Blue Devils lost 94-81.

His last game occurred on April 2, 2022, vs. UNC. Duke fe­ll 81-77. He finished his Duke coaching caree­r with an astounding 1,129 wins and only 309 losses.

Krzyze­wski's place in hoops history was se­t in stone after helping le­ad the iconic 1992 "Dream Team." Re­vered by all, Krzyzewski is conside­red a basketball coaching lege­nd.

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