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Duke Basketball: Coach K Named Most Powerful Person in College Basketball

By Chris Brown

GREENVILLE, SC - MARCH 19: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils reacts in the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2017 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
GREENVILLE, SC - MARCH 19: Head coach Mike Krzyzewski of the Duke Blue Devils reacts in the first half against the South Carolina Gamecocks during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2017 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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NCAA head coaches voted Duke Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski the most powerful person in college basketball, with another Blue Devil joining him in the Top 5.

CBS Sports recently put together an interesting survey, polling over 100 Division I NCAA coaches to determine who’s the most powerful person in college basketball. Duke Basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski was the clear favorite earning 43.7% of total votes, more than 20% over the next highest person (John Calipari).

In the anonymous survey, coaches noted his USA Basketball coaching experience for Krzyzewski’s main rise to power in the NCAA. He was able to work with a number of NBA stars in the Olympics and international FIBA tournaments to help the United States set the standard for basketball around the world. As head coach of the men’s national team, he compiled a historic 88-1 record including 3 Olympic gold medals and 76 straight wins.

The Hall of Fame coach is also the winningest coach in college basketball, recording 1,071 total wins between Duke and West Point. He’s led the Blue Devils to five national titles and 12 Final Fours over the course of three decades. Despite his numerous accolades, not everyone is happy with the popularity of Krzyzewski, with one source in the survey calling him “totally bullet-proof” to NCAA issues.

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After Coach K, the most powerful people are Kentucky head coach John Calipari, Big Ten commisioner Jim Delany, and agent Bret Just before another Blue Devil joins the Top 5. ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas earned 5.8% of the votes. The former Blue Devil played for Krzyzewski from 1982-1986 and was an assistant coach from 1990-1992 before eventually starting his broadcasting career. Bilas has gained prominence being outspoken on issues in college sports and advocating for college athletes, which led to one source calling him “the most heard person in college basketball“.

Next: Duke Basketball Quietly Adds Player to 2017-18 Roster

Duke Basketball will kick off the 2017-18 season with Countdown to Craziness on October 20th. Let us know what you think about the rankings and results of the survey in the comments below or on social media.

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