Story details frustration inside Duke program on UNC's decision not to honor Coach K

As he embarked on his final season at Duke, some teams honored Mike Krzyzewski at their home arenas. North Carolina, however, didn’t honor Coach K — and a story from ESPN shed light on the reaction.

ESPN’s Wright Thompson wrote the cover story ahead of Krzyzewski’s final home game, which took place agains the Tar Heels on Saturday. He brought up a brutal part of the schedule, including a stop in Chapel Hill against North Carolina. But when Duke headed to the Dean Dome, the Tar Heels didn’t do anything to send Coach K off into retirement. That led to some ruffled feathers within the program.

“Duke entered its toughest stretch of the season, four games in eight days, five in 12,” Thompson wrote. “Those became coded mantras — 4-in-8, 5-in-12 — and the whole program hunkered in battle mode, like a warship that sounds general quarters and turns on red lights.

“Duke won the first game against Carolina — folks inside the program bristled that the Tar Heels didn’t honor Krzyzewski during the game — and then turned around and lost to Virginia, a well-coached team that gives Duke fits.”

Of course, what happened next also ruffled feathers. North Carolina went into Cameron Indoor Stadium and stunned the Blue Devils 94-81 in Coach K’s final home game on the sidelines. There were plenty of festivities that day, though, including plenty of former Duke players on hand for the game.

Mike Krzyzewski humbled by the honors, former Duke players returning on Saturday

On Saturday night, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski was honored before, after and during his final game coaching inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. Unfortunately for Duke, UNC spoiled the festivities, as the Tar Heels escaped with a victory to end the regular season. Regardless, Saturday was a special scene in Durham, and Krzyzewski was very appreciative for all of the love he has received.

After the game, Krzyzewski opened up about seeing his former players return to help honor him.

“As far as afterwards in seeing so many of my former players, it’s beautiful,” Krzyzewski said after the game. “The honors from alumni, from our athletic department – I had forgotten what my high school number was it’s been so long. ‘Who’s 44,” I said. They said, ‘That was you.’ That was good. Obviously the best thing is to have those scholarships in our family’s name and for me to have my whole family here from my 10 grandkids to witness the love that this community has given me and my family. It’s so good.”