Coach K’s Boo Boo

Generally speaking, Mike Krzyzewski is as disciplined a coach as you’ll find. Earlier in his career, he got technicals on a semi-regular basis but honestly we can’t remember the last time he did.

In his public comments you can at times see him structuring his responses. Again, earlier in his career, he would eviscerate reporters who asked what he considered stupid questions.

In recent years, about as far as he’ll go is to mutter something like “well...” then cut it off and move on to something else.

He’s extraordinarily aware of what he says and how he says it which makes Friday’s comments about DJ Steward surprising.

Someone asked about recruiting Chicago and in his answer he mentioned Windy City recruit Steward, who has committed to Duke but not signed. That’s an NCAA violation as you’re not allowed to talk about an unsigned recruit.

It’s a very minor problem - the NCAA basically just reminds you that you can’t do that - and life goes on.

It’s just a rare public lapse. Our guess is that his personal discipline will be revisited and reinforced.

It reminds us of a time Dean Smith did something different - it didn't involve the NCAA - but similar in that his personal discipline slipped.

Someone asked him about a Florida State player - Kirk Luchman - and before he could stop himself, Smith said oh yes - “Mr. Choke.”

It was a minor flap for a day or two and he apologized to Luchman, who he had once recruited, and it was forgotten.

It would be difficult for anyone to be entirely disciplined at all times which makes the rare exceptions even more surprising for guys like Smith and Krzyzewski.

Incidentally, speaking of Luchman, he seems to have stayed on in Tally where he now runs an insurance company and has gotten into body building. His wife is into bikini competitions as well.