Krzyzewski Basketball Quotes & Sayings

Don't worry about losing. Think about winning. — Mike Krzyzewski

Defense is one man guarding the ball and four others helping him — Mike Krzyzewski

I didn't miss any games, but Coach Knight came out and spent three days with my family in Chicago when my dad passed away. I came back and played and it was good therapy for me. Having a basketball family and a coach who understood and actually became like a father figure for that time was comforting to me, and I'm sure that will be comforting to Coleman. — Mike Krzyzewski

You can't play any defense if the other team is on the foul line. — Mike Krzyzewski

Confidence shared is better than confidence only in yourself. — Mike Krzyzewski

Whatever a leader does now sets up what he does later. And there's always a later. — Mike Krzyzewski

Footwork is one of the primary prerequisites to becoming a great player — Mike Krzyzewski

If a team cannot perform with excellence at a moment's notice, they probably will fail in the long run. — Mike Krzyzewski

For a college basketball player or coach, to reach the Final Four is la-la land. You've achieved, you've got your stamp of approval. My first team to do that was in 1986. Then we did it in '88, '89 and '90. — Mike Krzyzewski

A leader's responsibility to his team is paramount. It overshadows even his own personal feelings at any given time. — Mike Krzyzewski

Why do you play a game? I play a game to see how good we can be. — Mike Krzyzewski

Believe that the loose ball that you are chasing has your name wirtten on it. — Mike Krzyzewski

Don't do anything as an individual that will make you stand out from your teammates. — Mike Krzyzewski

A common mistake among those who work in sport is spending a disproportional amount of time on "x's and o's" as compared to time spent learning about people. — Mike Krzyzewski

You can't defer if you're the person who's in the leadership position. — Mike Krzyzewski

I don't think we surprise people. We try to out-execute them. — Mike Krzyzewski

Good sound habits are more important than rules - use concepts. — Mike Krzyzewski

Leaders have to search for the heart on a team, because the person who has it can bring out the best in everybody else. — Mike Krzyzewski

When you are speaking to your team after a game, never talk about the kid who was the star of the game. Talk about what your other players did to help the team win. Be sure to spread the wealth ... Then have individual meetings with one to three players to praise and reinforce. Make sure you touch them. — Mike Krzyzewski

With accomplishments comes confidence and with confidence comes belief. It has to be in that order. — Mike Krzyzewski

We travel in Duke stuff ... They can have a hat, but it must be a Duke hat. — Mike Krzyzewski

I'm looking for players who make their teammates better. You do that with enthusiasm and passion. — Mike Krzyzewski

When you are passionate, you always have your destination in sight and you are not distracted by obstacles. Because you love what you are pursuing, things like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop you! — Mike Krzyzewski

Play and practice like you are trying to make the team. — Mike Krzyzewski

The worst thing we can do is put the (other) team in a one-and-one. — Mike Krzyzewski

I think leadership is never singular. In a good organization, it's plural. — Mike Krzyzewski

We lost, and that's the main thing that went wrong, — Mike Krzyzewski

You don't just be a team. You become a team. Through tough games you find that you need each other — Mike Krzyzewski

I love practice. It is when a coach exercises the most control over the improvement of his or her team. — Mike Krzyzewski

I've tried to handle winning well, so that maybe we'll win again, but I've also tried to handle failure well. If those serve as good examples for teachers and kids, then I hope that would be a contribution I have made to sport. Not just basketball, but to sport. — Mike Krzyzewski

That's why basketball was so good, because I didn't really need you or anyone else to play it. It would be better if we played four-on-four or five-on-five, but I could go out there alone. — Mike Krzyzewski

Our goal is not to win. It's to play together and play hard. Then, winning takes care of itself. — Mike Krzyzewski

I believe a big part of leadership is about winning the moment. — Mike Krzyzewski

In developing teams, I don't believe in rules. I believe in standards. Rules don't promote teamwork, standards do — Mike Krzyzewski

A basketball team is like the five fingers on your hand. If you can get them all together, you have a fist. That's how I want you to play. — Mike Krzyzewski

People want to be on a team. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to be in a situation where they feel that they are doing something for the greater good. — Mike Krzyzewski

Goals should be realistic, attainable, and shared among all members of the team — Mike Krzyzewski

Basketball was not my main sport in grade school, or even the first year of high school. — Mike Krzyzewski

That's what I do now: I lead and I teach. If we win basketball games from doing that, then that's great, but I lead and teach. Those are the two things I concentrate on. — Mike Krzyzewski

I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball. — Mike Krzyzewski

With me and basketball, it became part of me. — Mike Krzyzewski

If you have talent with teamwork, you've got a chance to be a championship team. — Mike Krzyzewski

Champions play as they practice. Create a consistency of excellence in all your habits. — Mike Krzyzewski

Courage gives a leader the ability to stand straight and not sway, no matter which way the wind blows. — Mike Krzyzewski

If the only reason I coached was to win basketball games, my life would be pretty shallow — Mike Krzyzewski

Confrontation simply means meeting the truth head-on. — Mike Krzyzewski

A team is a fist-not five fingers. — Mike Krzyzewski

Effort is fully replenishable. There is no need to save any of it. Leave every bit you have on the playing field — Mike Krzyzewski

I was very pleased with the entire selection process. The manner in which it was conducted included all parts of United States' basketball, from the professional level to the colleges and high schools. Everyone was considered. — Mike Krzyzewski

I think in college they give you a chance to really mature, form yourself and build relationships. I think that's what a team is all about, and when you build relationships, it shows on the court and that brings out success. I love the whole attitude of staying in college to take advantage of a free education. I just felt like Kentucky wasn't a fit for me. The whole attitude and approach of the one-and-dones, that's good for them, that's their decision. But I think [Duke] Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] is a guru of basketball. I want to learn from one of the best. — Jabari Parker

I have a plan of action, but the game is a game of adjustments. — Mike Krzyzewski

When I had troubles, I'd go out with basketball - you can do it by yourself, too. So you'd go out and shoot, and you'd fantasize. — Mike Krzyzewski

The best teams are team in any sport that lose themselves in the team. The individuals lose their identity. And their identities come about as a result of being in the team first. — Mike Krzyzewski