It’s no secret that the most fierce rivalry in college basketball is Duke Vs. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Two men that are responsible for that are the late, great Dean Smith, former Tar Heel head coach who coached legends like Michael Jordan and James Worthy, and former Duke head coach Mike Kyrzyewski, who coached legends like Grant Hill and Christian Laettner. Krzyzewski and Smith were fierce rivals when their teams clashed on the hardwood for a long time, however, the two fierce rivals became close friends and Krzyzewski was so close with Smith that Smith’s family invited Krzyzewski to a private funeral for family and closest friends. Krzyzewski was named the 2022-2023 Dean Smith award by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, recognizing an individual in basketball who embodies the spirit and values of the late Coach Smith.
“Honoring Coach K with this award not only recognizes his accomplishments on and off the court but brings full circle the story of his relationship with Dean Smith, from rivals to peers to friends,” said USBWA president Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer. “This is the highest honor the USBWA can give a coach, and it speaks to the fierce competitiveness and vision transcending basketball that Smith and Krzyzewski shared.” The Dean Smith Award was created in 2015 to honor the late Hall of Fame coach at North Carolina. Coaches are recognized for their principles of honesty and integrity, for treating all people with courtesy and respect, for accomplishments off the court, and for the impact they have made on their community and the lives of their players.
