Duke basketball: Top five candidates to succeed Coach K

Honorable Mentions

Let’s get this one out of the way with quickly. I’m immediately disqualifying guys with no college or pro head coaching experience. I’m also waving “so long” to anybody who didn’t play for Coach K in Durham.

Coach K has built the Duke basketball program into the machine it is today, and you best believe he’s not turning it over to anyone outside of the company. With that in mind, we can safely eliminate the following:

• Nate James
• Jon Scheyer
• Nolan Smith
• Chris Carrawell
• Jay Bilas (think what you want of the guy, he knows basketball and used to be on Coach K’s staff)
• Tony Bennett (young, brilliant coach, just not a Duke guy)

Also, here are some of the ones who check the boxes, but I just don’t see it:

• Mike Brey (great coach, he just has his own program now, and he’s too old)
• Tommy Amaker (good coach, probably not at the level Duke needs, plus he’s found his home)
• Chris Collins (first runner-up to the five-spot, tough call leaving him out)

With that in mind, it’s on to the show ponies. Bear in mind all of these guys used to play and/or coach under Krzyzewski…