AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
Duke men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski was forced to exit Tuesday’s game against Wake Forest because he’s “not feeling well,” the school announced.
Aaron Beard of the Associated Press reported that Krzyzewski “appeared to be dealing with some type of issue midway through the first half” and he was evaluated by a trainer during a timeout. Associate head coach Jon Scheyer will take over for the rest of the game.
Basketball analyst Jordan Schultz stated he was informed that Krzyzewski is “okay, just feeling ‘lightheaded.'”
Krzyzewski was also forced to miss the Blue Devils’ first game against Wake Forest earlier this season for what was described as a non-COVID-19 illness. Scheyer also served as acting head coach in that game, which Duke won 76-64.
A legendary head coach of the Blue Devils for the past 42 years, Krzyzewski announced in June that he will be retiring after the 2021-22 season, and he named Scheyer as his successor.
Krzyzewski is the winningest coach in men’s college basketball history, and he has led Duke to 12 Final Fours and five national championships. He was inducted into both the Basketball Hall of Fame (2001) and College Basketball Hall of Fame (2006). The Blue Devils had a 21-4 record entering Tuesday’s game against Wake Forest and are ranked No. 9 in the nation.
The 34-year-old Scheyer has been an assistant under Krzyzewski since 2013. A former guard for the Blue Devils from 2006 to 2010, Scheyer was promoted to associate head coach in 2018.
In an excerpt of Ian O’Connor’s book Coach K: The Rise and Reign of Mike Krzyzewski released Tuesday (h/t Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post), Krzyzewski put a stop to plans that would have made Tommy Amaker his successor. O’Connor stated that Krzyzewski picked Scheyer because he “believed he would maintain more control over the program,” even in retirement.
