Duke Basketball Pro Williams Shares Unforgettable Coach K Story

The former ACC Defensive Player of the Year remembers what made Mike Krzyzewski special.

Duke University Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski hugs Duke University center Mark Williams (15) in the closing seconds of a 85-76 win over Michigan State University during the second half of the NCAA Div. 1 Men's Basketball Tournament preliminary round game at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. Sunday, March 20, 2022. Ncaa Men S Basketball Second Round Duke Vs Michigan State | Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

Almost four years since retiring, legendary Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski remains the all-time Division I wins leader (1,202-368 career record). He won five national championships, reached the Final Four 13 times, and between the ACC Tournament (15) and regular season (13) titles, he captured 28 conference crowns across his 42 seasons at the helm in Durham.

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Evidently, at least on one occasion late in his career, Coach K purposefully showed off all that hardware and more to one of his teams. Presumably, the display included mementos from the three Olympic gold medal performances (2008, 2012, 2016) that the now-78-year-old Hall of Famer orchestrated as head coach of Team USA, not to mention the various Coach of the Year trophies and other honors he collected in cementing his place in history as a hoops icon.

"After we lost in the regular season," 2020-22 Duke basketball big man Williams recounted during his recent appearance on The Old Man and The Three podcast, "[Krzyzewski] brought out, like, every trophy, every accolade, everything he's ever won, laid it out across the court. And he was, like, 'You wanna make it to the mountaintop? This is what it takes. It's not easy. You guys haven't been there. I've been there.'

"And I'm talking, like, every championship — everything. It was literally the whole court. Like, we were sitting there, long talk, all before practice. And he was, like, 'Y'all wanna get there? It's not easy to get there. I've been there.'

"That was probably the one that stuck with me."

"After we lost in the regular season, he brought out every trophy ... it was literally the whole court." -- Mark Williams with an iconic Coach K story pic.twitter.com/i53PoACrQ3

— TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) January 3, 2026

Mark Williams is one of the 73 Duke basketball talents under Coach K's command who went on to hear their names at the NBA Draft.

In his first season with the Phoenix Suns after spending his first three years as a pro with the Charlotte Hornets, the 24-year-old Williams is a full-time starter averaging 12.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks while shooting a highly efficient 65.6 percent from the field and 78.8 percent at the foul line.

As for Mike Krzyzewski, he still serves as an official ambassador to Duke University while also embracing his role as the special advisor to NBA basketball operations.

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