Duke announced that head coach Mike Krzyzewski will undergo total knee replacement surgery on his right knee this weekend at Duke University Hospital.
“To ensure Krzyzewski’s complete and thorough recovery from the procedure, Duke has canceled its scheduled exhibition trip to the Dominican Republic,” the school announced.
A school spokesman told ZAGSBLOG the team didn’t want to go on the trip without Krzyzewski.Krzyzewski’s surgery will be performed by Michael P. Bolognesi, M.D., joint replacement orthopaedic surgeon at Duke University Medical Center. Coach K could be released from the hospital within three days of the surgery and will begin a rehabilitation program at Duke.
“While it’s disappointing that we aren’t able to make the Dominican Republic trip, this is a positive development for both our team and myself because it will allow us to be at full strength for the start of practice this fall,” Krzyzewski said. “After three consecutive days of working with the team, it became clear that the condition of my knee wouldn’t be sustainable through next season. The best course of action is to correct the problem now rather than later, when our team would be more profoundly impacted.”
“Unequivocally, this is the absolute right thing Mike should do, and at precisely the right time,” Duke Vice President and Director of Athletics Kevin White said. “Certainly, we know Mike will receive unparalleled medical care here at Duke, and that his recovery will lead him into his 38th season here at full strength. Once again, that is exactly what Mike, and our team, should do as we head into the 2017-18 season, wherein we are extremely excited to see what the upcoming year brings.”
Krzyzewski has won a Division I men’s basketball record 1,071 games in 42 seasons as a college head coach, owning a 1,071-330 overall record and a 998-271 mark in 37 seasons at Duke. He has led Duke to five NCAA championships (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015), the second-most national titles by a coach in NCAA history.
Coach K was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
