Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Duke should hire outside the family

A story in Tuesday’s Raleigh News & Observer mentioned that there are several former Duke players with coaching experience who could join Duke’s staff now that associate head coach Johnny Dawkins has left to coach Stanford.

David Henderson, Robert Brickey, Quin Snyder, Nate James and Chris Carrawell all are mentioned as possible additions to coach Mike Krzyzewski’s staff.

Loyal though he is to his former players, Krzyzewski ought to resist the urge to hire any of them. He should hire somebody who doesn’t have connections to Duke.

Remaining assistants Chris Collins and Steve Wojciechowski are former Duke players, as is Dawkins. Collins and Wojciechowski are highly respected, and it’s great to have some assistants on your staff with intimate understanding of your system to teach it to your players.

It’s also good to have a respected adviser trained in another system. A diversity of ideas, backgrounds and expertise benefits any workplace.

Duke basketball is no exception.

One of the most welcome developments for the Blue Devils in 2007-08 came when Krzyzewski brought a bunch of different strategies back to Durham after working with Team USA last summer.

Krzyzewski incorporated some of Phoenix Suns coach Mike D’Antoni’s schemes on offense to spread the floor and take advantage of Duke’s athletic ability and shooting skills. At times, Krzyzewski used Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim’s zone defense.

Exposure to those different concepts made Duke better. Having a voice from outside the Duke program around on a daily basis also would improve the Blue Devils.

– Ken Tysiac

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a UNC fan, I'd love to see Coach K make a mistake and hire another former Duke PG. What I really fear is Dook searching for a quality low-post teacher. Can you believe Wojo is coaching big men? It's so laughable. But if Coach K persuaded Mike Gminski away from the mic to coach Zoubek and Lance Thomas, I'd be really worried.

Anonymous said...

I am a HUGE Duke Fan and I totally agree, for once, with the UNC fan. Coach K needs to hire Giminski. I tell this to Coach K everytime I see him on TV, but he does not listen to me. Wojo has apparently worked with some great big men in the past - Boozer, Dunleavy, Williams to name a few. I do not think anyone can do much for Zoubek because he has no hands. But he has improved. Maybe Wojo deserves some credit.

independent said...

In response to Obama denouncing Rev. Wright Tuesday on National television.. It came a little to late.. Plus the fact that CNN lives top political advisor said Monday on national television exactly what Obama should do and say to fix this ... and of course Tuesday Obama did exactly what he was told to do and say..

Anonymous said...

Whatever he ultimately decides, it's hard to second guess Coach K. He does it right, does it well, and has for a long time. That's what makes it so meaningful when the Heels are able to be Duke.