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Duke basketball: 10 realistic candidates to succeed Coach K when he retires

By Brad Berreman

Jan 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski reacts on the court during the first half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 19, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski reacts on the court during the first half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski won’t be coaching forever, so these are the most realistic candidates to succeed the 71-year-old coach when he does retire.

The Duke basketball team is a unique place right now. A loss to Louisville last Saturday was their third straight, dropping them to 5-5 on the season. If the NCAA Tournament started today, the Blue Devils would probably miss it for the first time since the 1994-95 season.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski, 71, drew rightful criticism for his response to a question from a student reporter after the loss to Louisville. But on the heels of his questioning playing during COVID-19, and Alabama coach Nate Oats wondering if his tune would be different if his team was better, it’s worth wondering how close “Coach K” might be to retirement. He missed most of the aforementioned 1994-95 season with a back injury, coincidentally or not given the quality of that team.

Coach K will surely deflect any speculation about when he’ll stop coaching. But he will turn 74 in February, and the end is pretty clearly near. This fall our friends over at Ball Durham, based on recruiting activity with the 2022 class, lightly speculated that Krzyzewski might retire after the 2021-22 season. A new incoming athletic director will be defined by who he hires to replace Coach K, most likely as he won’t outlast said incoming AD.

So let’s speculate on who could replace Coach K at Duke, whenever the time comes.

Former Duke assistants are the likely candidates to succeed Coach K

10. Jay Bilas, ESPN Analyst

It does not taint his excellent work as an analyst for ESPN, but Bilas is a “Duke guy” in a broad sense. He played for Coach K, as part of the 1982 recruiting class (Johnny Dawkins, etc.) that set the course for the program’s success. He then was an assistant under Coach K for three seasons.

Bilas has routinely been critical of how the NCAA does business, which may have some effect on his interest in coaching (if he even has any). He’s also a practicing attorney along with his work for ESPN. Would he give up his other jobs to succeed Coach K at his alma mater? It’s not likely, but to say there’s absolutely no chance would be wrong.

9. Chris Beard, Texas Tech head coach

After a Final Four run a couple of years ago, Beard’s Red Raiders entered this week No. 10 in the country before a narrow loss to No. 11 West Virginia Monday night. In five seasons as Texas Tech coach, he is 105-49 (.682 winning percentage).

Beard signed a six-year, $24.75 million contract after the 2019 Final Four, which made him the fourth-highest paid coach in the country at the time (he’s still fifth). That would keep him in Lubbock through the 2024-25 season, and his buyout was meant to keep another Big 12 school or another school in Texas from poaching him.

247Sports had the details of Beard’s buyout if he leaves for any other job (Division I outside the Big 12/Texas, NBA, etc.). I’ll start with the relevant, current timeframe. The buyout amounts would be cut in half if athletic director Kirby Hocutt is no longer employed at Texas Tech.

  • Apr. 1, 2020-March 31, 2021: $2,500,000
  • Apr. 1, 2021-March 31, 2022: $2,000,000
  • Apr. 1, 2022-March 31, 2023: $1,500,000
  • Apr. 1, 2023-March 24, 2020: $1,000,000
  • Apr. 1, 2024-March 31, 2025: $0

This is all a round-about way of saying Duke would have little impediment to pursuing Beard. The question is if he’ll leave Texas Tech.