But he was not interested in talking about his legacy or career, which ended in New Orleans with a defeat by his biggest opponent. “First of all, congratulations to North Carolina,” Krzyzewski said. “Hubert and his staff and these guys did a great job and tonight was a battle. It was a game where the winner would be happy and the loser would be in agony. And this is the kind of game we play. We wish we were together. on the other hand, but I’m proud of what our children did. “ He added: “It’s not for me, especially at the moment. I’m just worried about these guys. [they were] “I’m already crying on the pitch, and I mean, that ‘s the only thing I can think of.”

1 Relevant In June, Krzyzewski announced that the 2021-22 season would be his last and assistant Jon Scheyer would replace him. With 1,202 wins, 13 ACC championships and five national titles, he is generally regarded as the best coach in the history of college basketball along with John Wooden, the legendary UCLA leader who has won 10 national titles in 12 years. For Krzyzewski, Saturday marked the end of a 47-year career spanning 42 seasons at Duke. In 1975, Krzyzewski secured his first position as Army Coach, where he remained for five seasons before joining Duke before the 1980-81 campaign. After finishing below 0,500 in the league for three consecutive seasons at Duke, Krzyzewski was in the hot spot. But he led the program to the national title game in its sixth season, beginning a kingdom that will span generations. Krzyzewski took his job in Division I more than 10 years before the NCAA adopted a three-point line in 1986 and prospered throughout his one-and-done era. Duke’s team that reached the Final Four this season was the youngest team in Krzyzewski’s tenure. Duke and North Carolina had never met in the NCAA tournament before meeting Saturday in the Final Four. “This is something I never thought about and I will never think about,” Hubert Davis said when asked about handing over to Krzyzewski the last loss of his career. “All I can think about is these players. Coach K is incredible and this team is the best team we have played so far. We just happened to play more games tonight.” Disappointed with the defeat, Krzyzewski said the game – the teams exchanged lead in the final minutes – had responded to the advertising campaign. “These guys from both teams played with their hearts and the crowd was standing for most of the game,” he said. “It was a good game, so he did it [hype]. … I’m proud of my children. “We had our chances in the last two minutes, but they are good.” Krzyzewski repeatedly told reporters that there would be another time and place to think about his career and legacy, but wanted to focus on players who were dealing with their emotions after Saturday’s defeat. “We gave it our all, and it sucks that we were disappointed, but I’m proud of the effort we put in and the way we got out,” said Paolo Bancero after the game. Now, college basketball will move on without Krzyzewski, who has been a beacon for the sport for more than four decades. On 28 November 1975, he led the Army to a 56-29 victory over Lehigh in his first game as a college coach. On Saturday, Duke’s team lost 81-77 to North Carolina in the last game of their career. “I will be fine,” Krzyzewski said. “I was blessed to be in the arena. And when you are in the arena, you will either go out great or you will feel anxious, but you will always feel great when you are in the arena. Arena. And I’m sure this is the thing, when I look back, that I will miss. I will no longer be in the arena. But, hell, I was in the arena for a long time. And these guys did. My last time in the arena was amazing. “ Krzyzewski then went down a flight of stairs to a waiting area as his wife, Mickie, walked through the black curtain with family and friends. And coach K was gone.