Sports

Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski Adapts to ‘1-and-Done’ World

Published

11 years ago

April 2, 2015

Duke’s Jahlil Okafor (15) passes to Tyus Jones (5) as North Carolina’s Brice Johnson, left, and Jackson Simmons defend during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, March 7, 2015, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome)

AARON BEARD, AP Basketball Writer

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — There was a time when Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski led Final Four teams built around players who stayed for years to grow into tournament-tested veterans.

No longer, not in today’s one-and-done world in which top players rarely stick around long.

The Blue Devils enter this week’s Final Four relying on more freshman starters than John Calipari at Kentucky’s NBA factory. They have three freshmen players facing stay-or-go NBA decisions after the season.

“What Coach K has done in my judgment, and I think Calipari has done the same thing, they’ve adapted to the landscape, and they are dealing with it in a positive way,” said Jay Bilas, an ESPN analyst who played on Krzyzewski’s first Final Four team in 1986.

“Now people want to use value judgments to it and say, ‘This is not the way it’s supposed to be’ and ‘This is antithetical to college.’ Well, says who?”

Krzyzewski, the Hall of Famer in his 35th season at Duke and the winningest coach in men’s Division I history with 1,016 wins, didn’t have a player go pro early for nearly two decades until three left in 1999. Elton Brand was the first that year after his sophomore season, followed by fellow sophomore William Avery and then freshman Corey Maggette a few weeks later as Krzyzewski’s first of five one-and-done players.

It took five years for Luol Deng to become the next freshman to leave, but Duke has now had three in four seasons: No. 1 overall pick Kyrie Irving in 2011, Austin Rivers in 2012 and Jabari Parker last year.

It’s forced the 68-year-old Krzyzewski to adjust his approach compared to the days when Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley and Grant Hill were four-year guys or even when Jay Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy stayed for three.

“It actually starts before they get here,” Krzyzewski said. “We try with the kids, especially if they commit early, to develop even a deeper relationship with them than we did 10 years ago. You had time (then). You want to know them even better because you’re only going to have them for a shorter period of time.”

Duke (33-4) is built around star freshman big man Jahlil Okafor, a possible No. 1 overall pick who chose Duke jointly with point guard Tyus Jones. Forward Justise Winslow is the other every-game freshman starter.

Their arrival comes a year after Parker arrived as an all-but-certain one-year player.

The reality is it isn’t all that different — except maybe for the smaller numbers — than what Kentucky’s Calipari often is criticized for doing with his “succeed and proceed” approach, a response to the NBA’s requirement for players to be at least one year out of high school before entering the draft.

As Bilas sums it up, Krzyzewski “has been playing against these players, and if some of them want to come to Duke, why not take them?”

And considering college should help prepare someone for a job, there’s nothing wrong with a player leaving school to start a lucrative career.

“I really get tired of this discussion of basically people — and they’re not just fans, they’re NCAA member administrators — their view is ‘Our one-and-done is a great kid that had a wonderful opportunity he couldn’t turn down, and your one-and-done is a threat to the integrity of this enterprise,'” Bilas said.

“You can’t moralize about that. You take one, you’re in the same boat. There’s not one negative thing about a young person going to college for any amount of time. Not one negative thing.”

To that point, Krzyzewski said the program’s ability to develop players is “obvious” but his pitch includes that the university itself “has a chance to develop you, too.”

Okafor said knowing Krzyzewski had “coached the best of the best” was key in his decision, though he and Winslow said getting to the NBA wasn’t a big part of the recruiting conversations.

“He always knew that the NBA could be a part of my eventual path,” Winslow said. “But all our discussions were about me becoming the best player I could at Duke, not really any conversation about the NBA.”

Bilas was part of the recruiting class that got things rolling for Krzyzewski, Bilas, Stanford head coach Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie and David Henderson were the senior core of a 37-win team that lost to Louisville in the 1986 title game.

But in today’s game, Bilas said, Dawkins would’ve probably gone to the NBA in a year or two and Alarie in maybe two years.

The only constant in the radically different equation is Krzyzewski.

___

Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

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Related Topics:coach k duke basketball duke blue devils Duke University Mike Krzyzewski NBA NBA one-and-done

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Sale of Coliseum to African American Developers Moves Toward Completion

The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

Published

2 weeks ago

June 16, 2026

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The deal includes the sale of the Oakland Arena to an unidentified third-party buyer for no less than $100 million, which Bobbitt said was one of the most important aspects of the site’s future redevelopment.

‘This is on the precipice of actually occurring,’ said Ray Bobbitt, buyers’ representative

By Post Staff

After many months of complex negotiations, the Oakland Coliseum development deal is finally nearing an agreement that will open the way for new owners – the African Americans Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) – to revitalize the sports complex and the Hegenberger Corridor in East Oakland.

On May 28, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a non-binding agreement to dispose of the County’s portion of the complex for $115 million in a deal with AASEG, with a closing date set for June 30.

“People are seeing that this is on the precipice of actually occurring,” said Ray Bobbitt, founder of the AASEG and an East Oakland native. “People feel that this needs to happen for Oakland, for East Oakland in particular,” Bobbitt said, as reported in the East Bay Times.

The agreement would transfer ownership of the 112-acre Coliseum complex property, which was owned 50-50 by Alameda County and the City of Oakland, to Oakland Acquisition Company, which is AASEG’s real estate wing.

The County’s approval marks an important step in the sale of the property, even though concerns about environmental liability remain. Under the terms of the non-binding agreement, the county will pay $115 million to Coliseum Way Partners, the corporate entity of the Oakland Athletics that had previously purchased the county’s half of the property for $85 million.

AASEG will then pay $115 million to the County in three annual payments, with 5% annual interest paid on any outstanding balance, according to the term sheet.

AASEG already negotiated a purchase of the city’s half of the property for $125 million in 2025, awaiting the sale of the county’s half.

A strong supporter of the sale, Supervisor Nate Miley said he was not “breaking out the champagne” until the sale was final. This is not perfect, but it is good.

“It’s good because the County ends up with more money,” Miley continued. “It’s good because an African American team takes ownership of the property, and they’ve got a lot of potential in terms of what they want to do with the property.”

A remaining disagreement between Alameda County and the AASEG involves environmental concerns.

AASEG wanted a “carve-out” for environmental concerns so that it would not face liability for the release of groundwater into San Francisco Bay without a permit. Obtaining a permit could be time-consuming and expensive, requiring the need for consultants, studies, and an oversight process by the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

County supervisors unanimously supported the non-binding agreement without the carve-out, though Bobbitt said delaying or excluding the carve-out creates timing risks for the project.

“The motion is to accept the terms as presented, excluding the carve-out,” Board of Supervisors President David Haubert said. “Noting that it’s a non-binding term sheet and terms can always be discussed going forward. It’s been pointed out that that could affect the deal, timing, which we’ve been at this for nine years, but what’s a little more time?”

“The arena represents an anchor of the site,” said Babbitt. “This arena … has become a pop culture mecca, and the opportunity to enhance that and expand that is critical to the overall process.”

Speaking at the Board of Supervisors meeting, Miley explained the County’s reasoning behind some of the complex negotiations. He asked interim County Counsel Andrea Weddle:

“In layman’s term’s who’s on the hook for the environmental (cleanup)” under the current deal with the Oakland A’s?

“When the county with a former board entered in the deal with the (A’s), we took on all of the environmental obligations,” Miley said. “Since then, we’ve learned a lot more about the environmental conditions of the Coliseum.”

“If we do a deal with Coliseum Way Partners (the A’s), we remain on the hook,” she said. “If we do a deal as we’ve currently structured with OAC (AASEG), we have eliminated some or hopefully all (or) as much as we can of that liability and aligned our deal with the terms of the city.”

Bobbitt, despite his concerns, supported the nonbinding agreement. He said the public has waited nearly a decade to come to this point.

“The community support has been overwhelming,” he said. “We’ve used a lot of P-words: patience, perseverance, persistence. And we’ve just had to do it, and we understand how complex this has been.”

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Alameda County

Seth Curry Makes Impressive Debut with the Golden State Warriors

Seth looked comfortable in his new uniform, seamlessly fitting into the Warriors’ offensive and defensive system. He finished the night with an impressive 14 points, becoming one of the team’s top scorers for the game. Seth’s points came in a variety of ways – floaters, spot-up three-pointers, mid-range jumpers, and a handful of aggressive drives that kept the Oklahoma City Thunder defense on its heels.

Published

7 months ago

December 4, 2025

Oakland Post

Seth Curry is a point guard on the GSW team.Photo courtesy of the Golden State Warriors.

By Y’Anad Burrell

Tuesday night was anything but ordinary for fans in San Francisco as Seth Curry made his highly anticipated debut as a new member of the Golden State Warriors. Seth didn’t disappoint, delivering a performance that not only showcased his scoring ability but also demonstrated his added value to the team.

At 35, the 12-year NBA veteran on Monday signed a contract to play with the Warriors for the rest of the season.

One of the most memorable moments of the evening came before Seth even scored his first points. As he checked into the game, the Chase Center erupted into applause, with fans rising to their feet to give the newest Warrior a standing ovation.

The crowd’s reaction was a testament not only to Seth’s reputation as a sharpshooter but also to the excitement he brings to the Warriors. It was clear that fans quickly embraced Seth as one of their own, eager to see what he could bring to the team’s championship aspirations.

Warriors’ superstar Steph Curry – Seth’s brother – did not play due to an injury. One could only imagine what it would be like if the Curry brothers were on the court together. Magic in the making.

Seth’s debut proved to be a turning point for the Warriors. Not only did he contribute on the scoreboard, but he also brought a sense of confidence and composure to the floor.

While their loss last night, OKC 124 – GSW 112, Seth’s impact was a game-changer and there’s more yet to come. Beyond statistics, it was clear that Seth’s presence elevated the team’s performance, giving the Warriors a new force as they look to make a deep playoff run.

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Barbara Lee

WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries Kick Off Season with Community Programs in Oakland

“The Golden State Valkyries are more than a team—they’re a movement,” said Oakland Interim-Mayor Kevin Jenkins. “Their touchdown in Oakland marks a new era of opportunity, inspiration, and equity in sports. This partnership reflects our city’s deep commitment to uplifting women, investing in youth, and building a community where every dream has a place to grow. We’re proud to welcome the Valkyries to The Town.”

Published

1 year ago

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Oakland Post

The Valkyries came to Oakland City Hall with a “Hoopbus.” Present were (from left to right): City Councilmembers Noel Gallo, Rebecca Kaplan, Zac Unger and Rowena Brown; Oakland Mayor-elect Barbara Lee, Valkyries President Jess Smith, a Valkyries team representative and Deputy Mayor LaNiece Jones. Photo courtesy Rebecca Kaplan’s office.

Team installs new nets at playgrounds, holds flag-raisings at City Halls in Oakland and S.F.

Special to The Post

The Golden State Valkyries brought the excitement of their inaugural season to every corner of the Bay Area with a full slate of community celebrations leading up to their historic home-opener against the Los Angeles Sparks at the Chase Center in San Francisco on Friday.

The week featured flag-raising ceremonies at city halls in Oakland and San Francisco, three “Violet Net” installation days at Oakland parks to encourage basketball play, fun “Hoopbus” takeovers at multiple schools presented by Kaiser Permanente, and player appearances.

In total, 90 violet nets were installed on 45 basketball courts across 34 public parks throughout Oakland this week. A list of the parks receiving violet nets can be found at Valkyries.com.

About the Golden State Valkyries

The Golden State Valkyries, the WNBA affiliate of the seven-time NBA Champion Golden State Warriors, were announced as the 13th WNBA franchise on Oct. 5, 2023. According to Norse mythology, Valkyries are a host of warrior women who are fearless and unwavering – flying through air and sea alike.

This brand is Golden State’s modern interpretation of Valkyries: strong, bold, and fierce. Tipping off during the 2025 WNBA season, the team is headquartered in Oakland and will play home games at Chase Center in San Francisco. For Golden State Valkyries’ assets, including team logos, visit valkyries.com.