“Mom, he keeps calling me these names”: When Coach K recalled how Bob Knight did not remember his name till sophomore year

Syndication: USA TODAY - Source: Imagn
Syndication: USA TODAY - Source: Imagn

Former Army Black Knights coach Bob Knight had a meaningful relationship with the former Duke Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski, also known as Coach K. Krzyzewski, who played under Knight's leadership at Army, was hired by Knight as the assistant coach. Knight also started as an assistant coach in 1963, and was promoted to head coach in 1965.

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The duo made an appearance in a YouTube video posted by ESPNInternational on Feb. 27, 2011, when Krzyzewski was coaching Duke Blue Devils, and talked about various topics. During the conversation, Coach K brought up one instance about Knight not remembering his name till sophomore year.

"I called my mother once and said, ‘Mom, he keeps calling me all these names. I mean, I know I’m the point guard, but still.’ She was very wise. She told me, ‘Mike, at least he’s talking to you. If he stops talking to you—then you’re in trouble.’" (Timestamp: 1:26)
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Bob Knight continued to talk about things that matter more than the number of wins.

"There are so many things like... I think it's easy to look at from your standpoint. To me, it's easy to look at the number of wins, but there are other things, quality is important." (Timestamp: 2:00)

Knight also commended Krzyzewski's methods:

"I want to mention this, too: Mike did it the way it should be done. There aren't any recruiting violations, there aren't any things that have been done with kids and that shouldn't be done and and that may be first and foremost in what anybody does because cheating is rampant in college basketball." (Timestamp: 2:33)
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"I've never seen it any worse than it is now with agents involved and these summer coaches involved that are taking money from different colleges and channeling kids to those schools, and that's why I think Mike can have tremendous pride in what he and these kids have done."

A look at Bob Knight's stint as Team USA's head coach

Bob Knight was named the coach for the United States men's national team in 1978. His first tournament as the country's coach was the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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He led the team to a 9-0 record and won his first gold medal. He also won a gold medal at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, with the six-time NBA Champion Michael Jordan, 11-time NBA All-Star Patrick Ewing and five-time NBA All-Star Chris Mullin, among others.

Bob Knight was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1991 and the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.

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Edited by Nadim El Kak
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