Having long been a fan of Coach K and Duke Basketball, I am honored to play a small role in the organization by designing and maintaining this site. I am a Coach K fan for many reasons but the following anecdote stands out in my mind as a perfect example of what a coach can be.
In 1989, Duke was playing a close game against Arizona. With one second left, and Duke down by two points, freshman Christian Laettner was fouled and sent to the free throw line to shoot one-and-one. Laettner missed his first shot and Duke lost the game. But what happened next was remarkable.
From Coach K’s book, Leading With the Heart:
"As the buzzer sounded, our senior captains, Danny Ferry and Quin Snyder, rushed over to Laettner and put their arms around the dejected freshman. And then the rest of the team went up to console him… there was no selfishness at that moment from any member of our team. As a matter of fact, I distinctly recall Quin Snyder saying, "Laett, don’t worry about it, man. We win and we lose together." Coach K describes his players’ actions following the loss as "one of the best examples of collective responsibility that I have ever witnessed."
In addition to Laettner’s teammates consoling him, I recall Coach K going right over to Laettner to offer his advice and encouragement, even before shaking hands with Arizona Coach Lute Olson. Was Coach K upset about the loss? I am sure he was disappointed, but he saw an opportunity to impart to his players something more than just how to play basketball. In that moment, Coach K revealed his true character. He showed he cared more about the player than he did about the outcome of the game. He showed himself to be a leader…a teacher…a coach in the best, truest sense of the word.
