When the Seattle Storm unveiled a statue of Sue Bird on Sunday, basketball fans everywhere paused to celebrate one of the greatest point guards the game has ever seen. And among those paying tribute was none other than Duke’s legendary coach, Mike Krzyzewski — a man who has spent a lifetime spotting greatness, often in Durham but also far beyond.
Speaking with Seattle radio host John Curley, Coach K delivered glowing praise for Bird, who just happens to share Duke ties through his admiration of her craft.
“Sue Bird is the ultimate point guard. I love Sue Bird. I wish I had the honor of coaching her. She took that position to the highest level, not only in what she did physically, but what she did mentally and emotionally. I love her, and I think she is the absolute best…The assists, she saw things that no one else saw in the moment. Her ability to think in the moment and play with courage allowed her to make those plays. No one in the history of women’s basketball really has made the number of plays like she has.”
For Duke fans, those words hit differently. Coach K has developed a Hall of Fame résumé working with some of the greatest guards in Blue Devil history — from Bobby Hurley and Jay Williams to Tyus Jones and Kyrie Irving. For him to describe Sue Bird in the same breath as the “ultimate point guard” is the highest level of respect.
It also shows something that Duke Nation already knows about Krzyzewski: his coaching eye was never limited to Cameron Indoor. His curiosity, vision, and ability to recognize greatness stretched across sports and across genders. Duke basketball has always prided itself on being bigger than just a men’s program — it’s a way of looking at the game.
Krzyzewski also took a moment to rave about Seattle itself, a city with a basketball culture that Duke fans will recognize in one of their own — Paolo Banchero.
“They have a commitment to the game and to one another that is just beautiful, and it’s not seen hardly anywhere else in the country.”
That line could almost describe Duke’s Brotherhood, but in this case, Coach K was pointing to Seattle’s unique hoops community, one that has produced Banchero, Jamal Crawford, Zach LaVine, and more.
And yes, the conversation drifted to NBA expansion. Krzyzewski admitted it only feels right for the Supersonics name to return someday if the city gets its team back. For Duke fans, the thought of Banchero playing for a revived Sonics team would be a full-circle storyline worth following.
Ultimately, Coach K’s words about Sue Bird weren’t just about one player — they were about excellence. Excellence in vision, in leadership, in commitment to the game. It’s the same standard he demanded at Duke for 42 years, and it’s why his admiration for Bird resonates so strongly.
Bird never played for Coach K, but in his eyes, she embodied everything he sought to teach his Blue Devils: courage, vision, leadership, and the ability to raise everyone around her.
And in that way, Duke basketball fans can take pride in knowing their coach’s wisdom extends to legends everywhere.
