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Chris Spatola, the son-in-law of former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, has died at age 47. Spatola, who played basketball at West Point, served on Krzyzewski’s staff from 2007 to 2012 before becoming a basketball analyst for ESPN and a host on Sirius/XM radio.
The Krzyzewski family, in a statement Tuesday, said: “There are no words to adequately express our heartbreak over the loss of our beloved Chris Spatola. Chris served our country, was a devoted husband and father, and was such an important part of our family. We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, thoughts, and prayers we have received during this incredibly difficult time. We respectfully ask for privacy as our entire family, particularly Jamie and her three beautiful children, grieve and process this unimaginable loss.”
JJ Redick: "I talked about the idea of finding a dream and pursuing that and what goes into pursuing a dream. I had dreams to play at Duke, obviously the NBA. This journey has been beyond my wildest dreams and I am pinching myself every day that I am at Duke with Coach K, I am pinching myself every day I am in an NBA locker room, I am pinching myself now every day that I get to coach the Lakers."
Kyle Singler is raising serious alarms after the former NBA player and Duke basketball star posted a series of unhinged videos to Instagram ... targeting his iconic college coach.
A disheveled and rambling Singler is wandering around his place ... saying he has nothing to his name -- and claims he was brushed off when he reached out to Mike Krzyzewski. In one of the three posts -- there are four total, but two are the same -- Singler says Coach K "set me up," and when he reached out for help, he was "benched."
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Bobby Krivitsky: I asked Amile Jefferson if he’s getting feedback from people like Joe Mazzulla, Jon Scheyer, and Coach K during his opportunity as the Celtics’ Summer League head coach. “All those people you named are really in my corner and have been super helpful to me in my career. “Jon's one of my closest friends. He's really smart. He's an amazing coach. So as much as I can talk to him; the feedback that I get from Joe is always really good, and he's been amazing to my growth and my career. “So especially those two, being able to talk to them before games, after games, just making sure I'm good and knowing that I have their support is really helpful to me.”
In Scheyer's case, for the record, indications are strong that he's not looking to leave Duke for the pros ... even if it would mean a reunion with Mavericks star Cooper Flagg. Mike Krzyzewski's hand-picked successor as Blue Devils coach just announced two additions to his staff earlier this week.
Mike Krzyzewski on coaching the USA team: “I coached the US teams for 11 years and I told them, when we started off every team bring your egos in. I don’t believe in leave your egos at the door. That’s such BS. I want you to be who you are. And by the way, Kobe Bryant, LeBron, they would have they would have brought their damn egos in no matter what the hell anyway. But I would always tell them, I said, if you can all put your egos under one ego umbrella, call it USA, we’ll kick everyone’s a**. You know, we’ll rule the world.”
During Thursday's GM meeting, Adam Silver, the NBA office and the league's 30 top team executives shared a desire to have ongoing discussions to safeguard the integrity of the sport. Silver was described as "forceful" with his message about wanting to attack the problem that has gained steam across the league in recent weeks. Sources said Mike Krzyzewski, the senior adviser to basketball operations for the league office, delivered a message at Thursday's meeting that there should be a prompt, tasteful "attack" on the problem and that all involved should be prepared to respond to what the league enacts in the coming months and year.
But LeBron, who has seen a significant number of elite head coaches over his 23 years in the NBA, sees similarities to some all-time greats in Redick, via Mind The Game with Steve Nash: “You look at JJ’s career as a basketball player, all the way from high school, he’s been a winner his whole life. And he’s been taught the game the right way. It’s been no sugarcoating from the coaches that’s put him in the position that he’s in today. I had an opportunity to play for Coach K a couple times, and with Coach K, there’s no sugarcoating. He’s going to tell you exactly how he feels if you’re not doing it right. But it’s going to be in a very stern but loving way, like it’s not how he says it, it’s about how you accept it. And if you take what he says or how he says it personal, then you’re going to lose sight of the messaging. And I think, with JJ, he’s kind of the same way. Right to the point, no sugarcoating, like listen this is how we want to play. And if I’m seeing possessions or I’m seeing things not up to our standard and what the coaching staff is putting out there, I’m going to show you my reaction. And it’s not to down you, it’s about helping you to understand what we’re trying to build long-term. And I can respect that, I love that. I mean, I come from the old school guy in Keith Dambrot, who was my first high school coach. If you was doing the three-man weave wrong he’d kick your ass out of practice.”
JJ Redick was taught the game the right way, now he's carrying the torch and not sugarcoating anything.
— Mind the Game (@mindthegamepod) November 27, 2025
A special Black Friday episode drops tomorrow 11/28 at 6am PT. Link in bio. pic.twitter.com/oeTVmudn8j
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Stephen Curry has two more seasons on his current contract. Kerr, who is not seeking an in-season extension, only has one year left. The question is presented to Curry: Could he play for another coach? "I played for Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] twice at the world championships," Curry said. "Mark Jackson. Keith Smart." Curry took the question literally. Could he? Yes. "The game would translate," he said. But would he? "I don't want to," Curry said. "We deserve that, I feel. Things change in this league. We can only control so much. But I think we're in a very unique situation that we deserve the opportunity [to ride it out]."
Duane Rankin: Former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo ('04) one of six presenters for 2008 USA Men's National Team into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for 2025 Class. Jim Boeheim (‘05), Chris Bosh (‘21), Jason Kidd (‘18), Mike Krzyzewski (‘01) and Dwyane Wade (‘23) remaining five presenters. Team USA won 2008 Olympic gold in China. Colangelo was managing director for USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team program. Team USA won four consecutive Olympic gold medals during Colangelo's run as managing director. #Suns
It’s a darn shame that Kon Knueppel didn’t get a chance to play for Coach K at Duke, because his family has a serious thing for the letter “K.” After being selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft we had a chance to meet Knueppel’s four brothers, and it was a tongue twister in its own right. From oldest to youngest we have ... Kon Knueppel, Kager Knueppel, Kinston Knueppel, Kash Knueppel and Kidman Knueppel.
“Coach K used to follow me in warm-ups. I once held his first born in the palm of my hand,” Hillman said. “So, one day we’re all on this bus talking and laughing. So, he was reading the paper and he yells, ‘Hey Darn, you’ve been drafted.’ I said, ‘Man, the Army can’t draft me again. I’m already sitting here doing time for the man.’ Everybody fell out laughing. I was not aware of the American Basketball Association.”