Publishers Weekly
12/13/2021
New York Post sports columnist O’Connor (Belichick) delivers a standout definitive biography of Mike Krzyzewski, who led the Duke Blue Devils to five NCAA titles during his decades-long tenure as coach. Fashioning his fascinating account from interviews with Krzyzewski’s friends and players, O’Connor begins with his subject’s childhood in 1940s and ’50s Chicago as “the son of a cleaning lady” and a hoops fanatic (“I don’t think I ever passed that schoolyard without seeing him playing basketball,” one neighbor recalls). His persistence led him to captain the Army basketball team, under coach Bob Knight (as his “much-better half on the court”), before eventually becoming coach himself, a stint which led to his joining Duke’s basketball program in 1980. O’Connor takes a nuanced look at Krzyzewski’s legendary career—from his experiences coaching All-Stars Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, and LeBron James during the 2008 Olympics to the many lives Krzyzewski impacted on and off the court. The coach’s preternatural ability to “motivate people to achieve things they did not believe they were capable of achieving” is inspiring, as is the arc that O’Connor paints of his life as “a low-income street kid” who became “the greatest college basketball coach of all time.” Fans won’t want to miss this insightful look at a colossal figure in college sports. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
The reporting and research are exhaustive and impressive. The writing is direct. The portrayal is fair, but unsparing. In many ways, Ian O'Connor's work is like Mike Krzyzewski himself: unrelenting, contemplative, purposeful. You not only learn about the coach and the man in this book, but more important, you understand him. No small feat.” — Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN’s College GameDay reporter and New York Times bestselling author of The Last Great Game
"Basketball fans might feel as though they already know Coach K—or Mike Krzyzewski, the decades-long coach of the Duke Blue Devils who’s set to retire after this season. In this insightful biography, sportswriter O’Connor captures the formative experiences and inner drive that catapulted the coach to icon status. Even the most die-hard fans will learn something." — Washington Post
"New York Post sports columnist O’Connor (Belichick) delivers a standout definitive biography of Mike Krzyzewski, who led the Duke Blue Devils to five NCAA titles during his decades-long tenure as coach.... The coach’s preternatural ability to 'motivate people to achieve things they did not believe they were capable of achieving' is inspiring, as is the arc that O’Connor paints of his life as 'a low-income street kid' who became 'the greatest college basketball coach of all time.' Fans won’t want to miss this insightful look at a colossal figure in college sports." — Publishers Weekly
"A sharpshooting account worthy of a champion." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"O'Connor is a masterful biographer...No one does it better...An excellent biography of a fascinating basketball coach and highly recommended for any college basketball fan." — All Sports Book Reviews
"I think Ian is one of the best writers in the country...and look at it as an honor that somebody of that level would write a book on me." — Mike Krzyzewski, Duke men's basketball coach
"The best account of a most pugnacious presence. ...a brilliant expose for anyone with interest in the combative melting pot of college athletics, sports management, and the type of character that succeeds within it." — Refereads
“From one of the preeminent sports biographers in this country…another piece of remarkable work” — Adrian Wojnarowski, The Woj Pod
"It is absolutely fantastic. [The] level of reporting is insane. …This book is so fun, it really is. When you bring in the Bob Knight stuff, it is jet fuel to this book. You can’t get enough of this….An absolute must read.” — Colin Cowherd, The Herd Host and New York Times Bestselling Author
"A fascinating portrait of sporting greatness... There is a staggering amount of reportage at work here. ...(O'Connor's) reporting bona fides permeate the book, with a clear, concise authorial voice that informs and entertains without the passing of judgment — an uncommon feat in a biography, particularly a sports biography.... An outstanding work." — Allen Adams, themainedge.com
“Coach K will draw you in on Page 1 and not let you go till you get to the index. You can bank on that.” — Mike Vaccaro, New York Post
"Richly reported and expertly written, Ian O’Connor delivers the definitive biography of the iconic Mike Krzyzewski. This is required reading for any fan of basketball, leadership or uniquely American success stories." — Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports Columnist and New York Times bestselling author
"Just as there are all-time great coaches who go down as masters of the sideline, there are all-time great biographers who go down as masters of the written word. Ian O'Connor's Coach K is a breathtaking deep dive into a modern-day basketball legend, delivered with dogged reporting and eye-opening insights. Though Mike Krzyzewski is done with his whistle and clipboard, O'Connor makes certain his aura will forever loom." — Jeff Pearlman, six-time New York Times bestselling author of Showtime
“No journalist alive is better than Ian O’Connor at pulling back the curtain on the inner workings of the great unknowable sports figure, and he’s done it again with Coach K. This boldly revealing biography provides a perfect punctuation mark to the career of arguably the greatest basketball coach in American history. As usual, O’Connor is the first to journey inside the closely guarded life of this legendarily stoic leader. And, as usual, the result is an enduring masterpiece.” — Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times sports columnist and ESPN’s Around the Horn panelist
Adrian Wojnarowski
From one of the preeminent sports biographers in this country…another piece of remarkable work
Refereads
"The best account of a most pugnacious presence. ...a brilliant expose for anyone with interest in the combative melting pot of college athletics, sports management, and the type of character that succeeds within it."
Gene Wojciechowski
The reporting and research are exhaustive and impressive. The writing is direct. The portrayal is fair, but unsparing. In many ways, Ian O'Connor's work is like Mike Krzyzewski himself: unrelenting, contemplative, purposeful. You not only learn about the coach and the man in this book, but more important, you understand him. No small feat.”
All Sports Book Reviews
"O'Connor is a masterful biographer...No one does it better...An excellent biography of a fascinating basketball coach and highly recommended for any college basketball fan."
Mike Krzyzewski
"I think Ian is one of the best writers in the country...and look at it as an honor that somebody of that level would write a book on me."
Colin Cowherd
"It is absolutely fantastic. [The] level of reporting is insane. …This book is so fun, it really is. When you bring in the Bob Knight stuff, it is jet fuel to this book. You can’t get enough of this….An absolute must read.
Washington Post
Basketball fans might feel as though they already know Coach K – or Mike Krzyzewski, the decades-long coach of the Duke Blue Devils who’s set to retire after this season. In this insightful biography, sportswriter O’Connor captures the formative experiences and inner drive that catapulted the coach to icon status. Even the most die-hard fans will learn something.
Bill Plaschke
No journalist alive is better than Ian O’Connor at pulling back the curtain on the inner workings of the great unknowable sports figure, and he’s done it again with Coach K. This boldly revealing biography provides a perfect punctuation mark to the career of arguably the greatest basketball coach in American history. As usual, O’Connor is the first to journey inside the closely guarded life of this legendarily stoic leader. And, as usual, the result is an enduring masterpiece.
Washington Post
Basketball fans might feel as though they already know Coach K – or Mike Krzyzewski, the decades-long coach of the Duke Blue Devils who’s set to retire after this season. In this insightful biography, sportswriter O’Connor captures the formative experiences and inner drive that catapulted the coach to icon status. Even the most die-hard fans will learn something.
Dan Wetzel
"Richly reported and expertly written, Ian O’Connor delivers the definitive biography of the iconic Mike Krzyzewski. This is required reading for any fan of basketball, leadership or uniquely American success stories."
Jeff Pearlman
"Just as there are all-time great coaches who go down as masters of the sideline, there are all-time great biographers who go down as masters of the written word. Ian O'Connor's Coach K is a breathtaking deep dive into a modern-day basketball legend, delivered with dogged reporting and eye-opening insights. Though Mike Krzyzewski is done with his whistle and clipboard, O'Connor makes certain his aura will forever loom."
Library Journal
02/01/2022
O'Connor (Belichick: The Making of the Greatest Football Coach of All Time) presents the first exclusively biographical look at Mike Krzyzewski (b. 1947), one of the most successful coaches in sports history, who has defined Duke University's dominant men's basketball program for over 40 years. (It's timed for Krzyzewski's planned retirement after the 2021–22 college basketball season.) O'Connor's is a deeply researched account of Krzyzewski's childhood in gritty Polish neighborhoods in Chicago, his four years as a West Point cadet, and the way he turned Duke into a basketball dynasty. Krzyzewski's mercurial relationship with Bobby Knight and the famous Duke/University of North Carolina rivalry are also woven into his life story. Using new insights from friends and family, O'Connor isn't afraid to show sides of the famous coach that most haven't experienced firsthand, and delves heartily into the leadership tools that still drive Krzyzewski. This timely book is the most comprehensive biography of the legendary "Coach K" to date. VERDICT The national spotlight will be on Krzyzewski as the basketball season winds down; all public libraries and sports collections will want to showcase O'Connor's appealing, candid profile of college basketball's winningest coach.—Janet Davis
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2021-11-28
A full-court look at NCAA men’s basketball’s all-time winningest coach on the eve of his retirement.
Who would have guessed that the Chicago-born son of poor, first-generation Polish-Americans with an unpronounceable surname would grow up to lead an elite private school to five national championships while amassing more than 1,000 wins and producing numerous NBA superstars? Even after a standout high school career that led to him playing for legendary coach Bob Knight at Army, Mike Krzyzewski (b. 1947) hardly seemed destined for superstardom. When Knight left for Indiana, however, Krzyzewski succeeded him and coached Army to some impressive victories, which won him an interview at Duke. Athletic Director Tom Butters chose Krzyzewski over far more qualified candidates. Though Krzyzewski didn’t consent to be interviewed for this book, he didn’t discourage anyone in his inner circle from speaking with New York Post columnist—and longtime ESPN writer—O’Connor, the author of biographies of Derek Jeter and Bill Belichick. O’Connor effectively leverages a broad cast of characters to chronicle Coach K’s rocky start at Duke (Butters never wavered in his support); the critical role of his family, especially wife Mickie, in his life and his program; his rise to the apex of college basketball; his stint coaching USA men’s basketball to three consecutive Olympic gold medals; and his fraught relationship with combustible mentor Knight. The author doesn’t shy away from Krzyzewski’s shortcomings: A fiery competitor, he can be petty and temperamental and has difficulty apologizing; as a tactician, he’s not particularly innovative. O’Connor also probes the few occasions that the program has toed the line of impropriety and highlights how Coach K leverages every possible recruiting advantage (perhaps unfairly), such as getting NBA players like LeBron James to sing his praises. He also makes a powerful case for why Krzyzewski has achieved such immense success: He’s an extraordinary communicator and motivator, brilliant organizer, and tireless worker who prioritizes family and team above all else.
A sharpshooting account worthy of a champion.
