Mike Krzyzewski Quotes

I have a rule on my team: when we talk to one another, we look each other right in the eye, because I think it's tough to lie to somebody. You give respect to somebody.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

In high school, in sport, I had a coach who told me I was much better than I thought I was, and would make me do more in a positive sense. He was the first person who taught me not to be afraid of failure.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

I've tried to handle winning well, so that maybe we'll win again, but I've also tried to handle failure well. If those serve as good examples for teachers and kids, then I hope that would be a contribution I have made to sport. Not just basketball, but to sport.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

I think some parents now look at a youngster failing as the final thing. It's a process, and failure is part of the process. I would like it if the teacher and the parents would connect more. I think that used to be, but we're losing a little bit of that right now.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

The thing I loved the most - and still love the most about teaching - is that you can connect with an individual or a group, and see that individual or group exceed their limits.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

My ambition in high school was to be a high school coach and teacher, and that's still what I do: teach.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

Playing sport was somewhat frivolous, but I liked it. I rebelled a little bit, and wouldn't go to music lessons and things like that, but I would go and play ball. My parents learned to love it because they saw how much I got out of it.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

I had a really bad temper, when I was growing up. Sport helped me channel that temper into more positive acts.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

To me, teamwork is the beauty of our sport, where you have five acting as one. You become selfless.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

I always won in my imagination. I always hit the game-winning shot, or I hit the free throw. Or if I missed, there was a lane violation, and I was given another one.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

Imagination has a great deal to do with winning.

~ Mike Krzyzewski

Throughout my life, my mom has been the person that I've always looked up to.

~ Mike Krzyzewski