Sports Illustrated’s Duke Covers Under Coach K

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Feb 15, 2022

In this story:

Legendary Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski is retiring at the end of the 2021–22 season, and Sports Illustrated has honored his iconic career by putting him on the cover of the magazine’s March issue.

This is not the first time Coach K has appeared on the cover of SI; in 2011 (with Pat Summitt, as SI Sportspersons of the Year) and ’14 (with then Blue Devils freshman Jabari Parker), he did as well. His Duke teams and players have additionally been featured many times during his tenure, starting with the March 17, 1986, issue.

SI has rounded up every time Duke men’s basketball was prominently featured on the cover under Krzyzewski—including after all five of his national championships, the first of which came in 1991 and most recent of which came in 2015. How many covers do you own?

March 17, 1986

006273632 — Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated

Duke’s first cover under Coach K came ahead of the 1986 NCAA tournament. The Blue Devils were the No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region, and SI hailed them as “the team to beat.”

March 31, 1986

006273634-2 — John Iacono/Sports Illustrated, Jerry Wachter/Sports Illustrated, John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated, David E. Klutho/Sports Illustrated

Duke advanced to that tournament's final weekend, along with Louisville, Kansas and LSU. After beating the Jayhawks and playing for the title, the Blue Devils came up short in a three-point loss to the Cardinals.

April 18, 1991

Five years later, Duke would get the job done. Led by Christian Laettner, Krzyzewski’s team pulled off a stunning upset of unbeaten UNLV in the Final Four and then downed Kansas for Coach K and the program’s first national championship. The team included a freshman Grant Hill (pictured).

Nov. 25, 1991

006273936 — Peter Read Miller/Sports Illustrated

After their national title, all eyes were on Laettner and Duke to open another college basketball season. Could they make it two in a row?

April 13, 1992

Bobby Hurley 006273955 — Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated

The Blue Devils indeed went back-to-back, becoming the first men’s program to do such a feat in 19 years. After Laettner’s famous shot sunk Kentucky in the Elite Eight, Duke beat Indiana and Michigan to seal another championship.

Nov. 17, 1997

006274244 — Theo Westenberger/Sports Illustrated

Five years later, expectations were high again for Duke, with Steve Wojciechowski gracing the cover of this season preview issue. That team would go on to earn a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance, where it lost to Kentucky in the Elite Eight.

Feb. 22, 1999

006274311 — Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated

Elton Brand was on the cover as SI embraced the return of “the kind of swagger exhibited by Mike Krzyzewski's title teams.” Duke went on to be the No. 1 overall seed that year and reached the national championship game before falling to UConn.

Nov. 20, 2000

006274401 — Moshe Brakha/Sports Illustrated

This college hoops preview issue cover called Shane Battier “the players’ player” after the magazine polled his peers to get their preseason pick for Player of the Year.

March 19, 2001

001227567 — Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated

Another March Madness was underway, and ACC foes Duke and Maryland graced the cover fighting for a rebound as SI called toughness “the key to survival” in the NCAA tournament.

April 2, 2001

001228536 — John Biever/Sports Illustrated, John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated, Manny Millan/Sports Illustrated, Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated

Not even two weeks later, the Blue Devils and Terrapins were on the cover again, this time sharing the spotlight with fellow Final Four teams Arizona and Michigan State.

April 9, 2001

001084711 — John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated

In the end, it was Coach K and Duke who took home the crown, sealing things with a 10-point win over Arizona to win the program’s third national title. The cover showed the championship embrace of Battier and Mike Dunleavy Jr.

March 18, 2002

001249176 — Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated

In a regional version of SI’s 2002 men's NCAA tournament preview cover, Jason Williams represented the Blue Devils. But No. 1 seed Duke would be stopped short in the Sweet 16 by Indiana.

Nov. 21, 2005

014406175cov — Bill Frakes /Sports Illustrated

Can anyone stop Duke? asked this SI cover as the 2005–06 college hoops season got underway. With a heralded freshman class on board, the Blue Devils were our men's preseason No. 1.

March 6, 2006

015136215cov — Rich Frishman/Sports Illustrated, Jeffery A. Salter/Sports Illustrated

Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison and Duke's JJ Redick were the talk of that ’05–06 season, and the talented duo appeared on the cover together as SI asked, “Who's the best?” It was Redick, though, who wound up winning the Wooden and Naismith postseason awards.

March 9, 2009

oph9-54037cov-1 — Composite photo illustration by SI Imaging

Flash forward three years, and Duke was one of eight teams SI picked to reach the Elite Eight ahead of the 2009 NCAA tournament. Alas, the No. 2 seed Blue Devils fell in the Sweet 16, then watched rival North Carolina take home the crown.

April 12, 2010

opt4-5064cov-1 — John Biever/Sports Illustrated

Any Duke sadness about 2009 wouldn't linger long, as the Blue Devils came right back and captured the ’10 national championship with a 35–5 season. The title game didn't end without drama, as Gordon Hayward's half-court heave as time expired narrowly clanged off the rim.

Nov. 22, 2010

opoc-57318 — Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated

Duke was back atop of SI's preseason top 20 to open the 2010–11 season, with senior guard Nolan Smith being featured on the cover as the team looked for another title.

March 21, 2011

opy4-38661cov — Bob Rosato/Sports Illustrated, Photo Composition by SI Imaging

Smith would appear on the cover for a second time that season in March, his face plastered over SI’s annual March Madness preview issue and dozens of other figures from that 2011 tournament. Duke, though, was unable to pull off a repeat, getting upset by Arizona in the Sweet 16.

Dec. 12, 2011

079005561-2 — Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

Krzyzewski’s first big SI cover moment came when he was co-named Sportsperson of the Year with Tennessee coach Pat Summitt. At the time, the pair were Division I basketball’s two winningest coaches—Coach K is No. 1 on the list today.

Nov. 18, 2013

SIP_2013393 — Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated

This college hoops preview issue that highlighted March rivals couldn’t go without a regional cover featuring Duke and UNC. James Michael McAdoo and Jabari Parker shared the space to represent their teams.

Feb. 24, 2014

op44-273718cov — Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated

Not even three years later after winning Sportsperson, Coach K would make the SI cover again, this time alongside freshman phenom Jabari Parker. SI writer Jeff Benedict chronicled an intimate look at Parker’s journey to becoming the nation’s top talent.

Nov. 10, 2014

X158833_TK1_0024cov — Al Tielemans/Sports Illustrated

Another year, another star freshman on the Blue Devils. This time, it was Jahlil Okafor headlining one of SI’s four regional covers previewing the 2014–15 college basketball season.

April 13, 2015

X159490_CT2_01977cov — Greg Nelson/Sports Illustrated

Duke was back atop the sport in 2015, as Krzyzewski rode three freshmen (including Final Four Most Outstanding Player Tyus Jones, pictured here) to his and the program’s fifth national championship. The Blue Devils downed a veteran Wisconsin team in the title game to cement the achievement.

November 2018

X162263_TK1_0117cov — Jeffery A. Salter/Sports Illustrated

The Red Sox’ World Series victory bumped this cover to a special digital version, but that didn't stop the extreme hype for Duke’s Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish–led freshman class.