Mike Krzyzewski was exhausted when he felt too ill to return to the bench last week during Duke’s victory over Wake Forest and has no underlying health issues.
The Blue Devils were in the midst of a five-game, 11-day stretch and the 75-year-old coach said he is to blame for wearing himself out by not altering his routine.
“That’s why I’m retiring,” he joked after Saturday’s 88-70 win over Florida State. “It was basically exhaustion. Nothing else. I feel great.
“We get back to more of a normal schedule now, so I think I’ll be good. I’m trying to be good.”
Prior to the season, Krzyzewski announced this would be his final season. He turned 75 on Feb. 13.
Assistant Jon Scheyer, who played for Duke, piloted the team’s win over Wake Forest in the second half and is set to become head coach at the end of this season.
At 23-4, ninth-ranked Duke is in position to make noise in the postseason, and the Blue Devils are seeking a sixth national title under Krzyzewski’s watch (1991, 1992, 2001, 2010, 2015).
Krzyzewski is set to coach in his final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on March 5. Duke plays at Virginia on Wednesday, then visits Pitt and Syracuse before the farewell date with rival North Carolina.
“There’s plenty of time for that,” he said. “I know it’ll be emotional, the last game here. Some of these games have been a little bit emotional in one way or another. Even today, with all the crowd, you want to savor that feeling because you’re only going to be able to walk out on that court one more time and have that feeling.
“But it makes me understand how lucky I’ve been to do it hundreds of times. … How lucky have I been to have a moment like that to savor? But I’ve had those moments hundreds of times. It’s been a blessing to be the coach here. Lucky guy. I’ve been a very, very lucky guy.”
–Field Level Media