Duke basketball: Candidate to succeed Coach K wraps up top honor

Add ‘NBA All-Star head coach’ to a list of Duke basketball accomplishments.

As recently noted here at Ball Durham, former Duke basketball player and assistant Quin Snyder (1985-89, 1993-99) has become tough to ignore when thinking of potential names to one day replace Mike Krzyzewski on the throne in Durham.

ALSO READ: Quin Snyder is outsmarting the entire NBA

Why? The 54-year-old is the most successful head coach in the NBA this season. And given the relatively small supply of household names on the roster, some would argue the league-leading record of the Utah Jazz makes Snyder’s mind the most coveted in the game these days.

Ridiculous winning ways for the Duke basketball alum

If nothing else, the team’s 24-5 clip has officially sealed the deal in terms of seventh-year Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder (295-216 overall record) becoming the head coach from the Western Conference in the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, which remains on tap for March 7 in Atlanta.

With a 114-96 road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers (21-9) on Wednesday night, Utah has now won nine straight and 20 out of its last 21 outings.

It’s also possible that as many as four other former Blue Devils will appear in the NBA All-Star Game as players: Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, and New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram.

On Thursday night, the NBA will unveil on TNT the 10 combined starters, who will have earned their nods via a mix of fan, media, and player votes. Then on Tuesday night, also on TNT, the league plans to announce the seven reserves from each conference (voted on by coaches).

Bookmark Ball Durham for more on All-Star Blue Devils plus other Duke basketball news and views.