Is Duke Blue Devils Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski Married?
Mike Krzyzewski, popularly nicknamed Coach K, is one of the longest-serving coaches in sports history with more than 1,000 wins to his name. His 41 years as coach of the Duke Blue Devils only pale when compared to Connie Mack and Eddie Robinson.
Krzyzewski, the men’s basketball coach at Duke University since 1980, will retire at the end of the current season. Perhaps retirement will afford the five-time NCAA champion coach more time with family. Who is Coach K’s wife and does he have any children?
Is legendary Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski married?
Coach K is married to Carol Marsh. They tied the knot in 1969, the same day coach K graduated from the U.S. Military Academy. According to Players Bio, the two met during a flight where Marsh was the stewardess. This sparked a romance that has lasted for over five decades. The pair have three daughters, Debbie, Lindy, and Jamie, and 10 grandchildren.
Over the years, Marsh has influenced her husband’s decisions; the most apparent being his decision to step back during the 1994-95 season. At the time, Krzyzewski completed back surgery in October 1994 and returned to the sidelines for the start of the season despite not being fully recovered.
The pain proved too much. Marsh overcame Coach K’s stubborn insistence to continue by giving him an ultimatum: He had to go to the doctor if he wanted to come home. He obliged and sat out the remainder of the 1994-95 season.
What is Coach K’s net worth?
Krzyzewski attended school at St. Helen Catholic School in Ukrainian Village and later joined Archbishop Weber High School in Chicago. In 1969, he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in New York, where he played basketball under Bobby Knight.
According to Britannica, Krzyzewski served as an officer in the U.S. Army from 1969-74, where he coached service teams for three years. After his discharge from the army, Krzyzewski joined the Indiana Hoosiers as Coach Knight’s assistant. He returned to Westpoint to coach army cadets in 1975, holding the role for five seasons.
Then, Krzyzewski was appointed as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils basketball team. His long helm at Duke, as well as his success with the men’s national team, helped him amass a considerable amount of wealth. As of 2021, Yahoo indicates the 74-year-old is worth $45 million.
Coach K’s base salary stands at $7,048,206. It can rise to $10 million with additional bonuses depending on his team’s record. Krzyzewski’s wages only place him behind Kentucky Wildcats’ John Calipari, the highest-earning coach in college basketball.
Coach K’s prolific status over the years caught the attention of NBA teams. The Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New Jersey Nets all lined up with lucrative deals at one point or another. Krzyzewski turned them all down and opted to remain at Duke.
How do you pronounce Krzyzewski?
Coach K was born on February 13, 1947, to Polish American parents who resided in Chicago. According to ESPN, Krzyzewski’s interest in coaching began in his early days at St. Helen elementary, where he organized his friends into forming the school’s basketball team and served as player and coach.
When Krzyzewski and his friends were not playing basketball, they would wrestle, imitating the pro wrestling stars they admired. Hot days were spent at the beach.
Coach K’s father went by the name Bill Kross. He opted not to use the family name to avoid the discrimination that came with being a Polish immigrant’s son. He also probably saved many from mispronouncing his family name. Coach K, however, decided to retain it.
According to Quora, Krzyzewski is a Polish name mainly given to people from the town of Krzyżewo. The name is not only difficult to spell but can also prove to be a mouthful. According to Polish conventions, the name is pronounced “Kshoo-jev-ski,” which is less intimidating to say once you hear it.
