Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim had high praise for Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski following SU’s 98-74 win over Albany to advance to the semifinals of the Dicks Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off.
Krzyzewski became college basketball’s all-time winningest coach, notching win No. 903 with a 74–69 victory over Michigan State at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. He passed former coach and mentor Bob Knight (902) with the win.
“Well it’s an unbelievable accomplishment what he’s done,” Boeheim said to reporters after the game. “He’s done an incredible job. I think we’ll be seeing him get 1,000 in a couple of years.”
Boeheim has had a long history with the Duke coach.
He was an assistant coach under Krzyzewski for the US national team in the 1990 FIBA World Championship and 2006 FIBA World Championship, winning the bronze medal both times. Boeheim was also an assistant coach under Krzyzewski for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing when the United States won the gold medal.
Krzyzewski is only one of four coaches—Knight, Dean Smith (879) and Adolph Rupp (876) being the other three—who have more wins than Boeheim (858). But unlike Knight, Smith and Rupp, Krzyzewski is still an active coach, and the next milestone isn’t too far off.
“I think he’ll coach another 5-10 years, at least five, but maybe more. So I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get 1,000,” Boeheim said. “It’s an incredible accomplishment, the way he’s played and what he’s done. It speaks for itself.”
