FIVE BANNERS

A veteran author and sportswriter chronicles the success of the Duke men’s basketball program, coached by one of the sport's all-time greats.

Feinstein, author of many bestselling sports books, including A Good Walk Spoiled and The Legends Club, has been a Duke insider since his days covering the Blue Devils for the student newspaper in the 1970s. He uses that long-held access to chronologically document the story of head coach Mike "Coach K" Krzyzewski's four-decade career in Durham, which included five national championships and 12 appearances in the Final Four and ended with Krzyzewski as the winningest head coach in men's college basketball history. As is often mentioned in the book, Feinstein was present at a program-changing meal at a Denny's restaurant following a season-ending loss relatively early in his tenure that had boosters, fans, and local media calling for Krzyzewski's job. He examines Krzyzewski's approach and strategy in building a powerhouse amid the changing landscape of college basketball; the intense rivalry between Duke and the University of North Carolina, particularly with then–head coach Dean Smith; and Krzyzewski's tumultuous relationship with his collegiate coach and mentor, Bob Knight. Throughout, the author presents Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils in angelic light, and the axe he has to grind with Knight (the subject of the author’s A Season on the Brink) is petty. Furthermore, his snarky attitude toward other programs, coaches, and some fellow media members does nothing to disabuse stereotypes about Duke graduates and fans. While it is understandable that Feinstein has essentially written a love letter to the program he has adored since late adolescence, it's a shame that a book about such a compelling and complex American sports figure as Krzyzewski is a one-note bore. For a more balanced treatment, check out Ian O’Connor’s Coach K.

A hagiography of Coach K.