Coach K comment draws infraction
Duke coach spoke about unsigned Chicago recruit
DURHAM, N.C. — Mike Krzyzewski used a golf analogy early in his Friday night news conference after his team cruised to an 89-55 win over Colorado State. Something about how golfers don’t have to deal with rabid defenders when they’re lining up putts.
Then the legendary Duke coach made a bogey.
Asked by the Tribune whether he derives particular enjoyment from recruiting in his hometown of
Chicago, Krzyzewski mentioned DJ Steward, the five-star guard from Young who committed to
Duke on Sept. 19.
Steward, though, has yet to sign. And NCAA rules prohibit coaches from publicly commenting on verbally committed players.
“I just enjoy recruiting anywhere there’s a good player, great kid who wants to come to Duke,” Krzyzewski said in a room of perhaps two dozen reporters. “We’ve had a few of those in Chicago, one that’s there right now in DJ, and we’re happy that they finally stopped the teacher’s strike so he could go to Whitney Young and qualify to come here, although he’s qualified. Chicago’s a great town and I always love going back.”
Duke basketball spokesman Mike DeGeorge said the school would report the violation to the NCAA.
Krzyzewski has won more games than any basketball coach in NCAA history, with Friday’s his 1,134th. He has won five national titles and reached 12 Final Fours since taking over at Duke in 1980.
Naming unsigned recruits violates NCAA bylaw 13.10.2.1. An infraction is considered a secondary violation, and if a school reports its own misstep, it is possible no punishment would be levied. Juwan Howard, Michigan’s first-year coach, made a similar error earlier this week.