"Run it like a business": Mike Krzyzewski calls out lack of "transparency" in college basketball, commends Jon Scheyer on recent success

Former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, aka Coach K, retired in 2022 after a 42-year tenure at the helm of the Blue Devils and became the winningest coach in college basketball. His assistant, Jon Scheyer, succeeded him and has steered Duke since.

During Wednesday's episode of "The Herd," Coach K criticized the state of college basketball in the NIL era and how it has affected recruitment.

"I think college basketball now is pretty much like the NBA, except there's no transparency," Krzyzewski said (04:05). "In other words, you're at one school, I'm at another. I don't know what you're doing for a player. You don't know what I'm doing for a player, and it's really professional right now, or college basketball, but the product is outstanding, and kids are staying longer because of NIL."

Krzyzewski also commended Scheyer for how he has dealt with the state of the sport compared to how he would have handled it.

"Yeah, you're getting older teams the influx of international, young, international pro players to college, there you can win quicker in college now, and Jon Scheyer has done a great job here at Duke replacing me," Coach K said. "And I've told him, I said, 'I think you've done a better job than I would have done in the last three years with all the changes, because I would have always been saying stuff.

"Well, it used to be this way. It used to be that way. And for you, you're just starting out, it wasn't used to being as it is. And right now, I just think people should put their arms around college sports, especially college basketball, in my opinion, and run it like a business, because it is a business."

Mike Krzyzewski continues to mentor Jon Scheyer

Mike Krzyzewski was a tough act to follow after leading the Duke Blue Devils to five national championships, 13 Final Four appearances and 15 ACC Tournament championships during his 42-year tenure as coach.

During the team's 2025 NCAA Tournament run, Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer revealed on the "Pat McAfee Show" that he still leans on Coach K for support three years after taking over from him.

"Coach K is a huge part of the Duke brotherhood and I'm lucky to have him to talk to," Scheyer said on April 1.

Since taking over from Krzyzewski, Scheyer has led Duke to the Elite Eight twice; however, last season's run for the national title fell short in the Final Four after a narrow loss to the Houston Cougars.