Coach K Has To Apologize After Getting Caught in a Lie

27 Mar, 2016

Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski said he incorrectly answered a reporter’s question when denying he lectured Oregon’s Dillon Brooks for sportsmanship, according to a statement released by the school on Saturday.

He also apologized to Oregon coach Dana Altmanfor taking attention away from the Ducks’ victory and the outstanding game Brooks played.

Krzyzewski told a reporter after Oregon’s 82-68 victory Thursday that during the postgame handshake line he only congratulated Brooks.

But audio CBS released Friday supported Brooks’ account of the exchange, during which Krzyzewski said, “You’re too good a player to do that. You’re too good of a player.”

Krzyzewski appeared to be referring to a long three-pointer Brooks made with seven seconds remaining (and the shot clock winding down) and celebrated with a fist pump.

Altman later said he told Brooks to take a shot because a differential between the game clock and shot clock would otherwise have led to a turnover.

“Today, I spoke with Oregon head coach Dana Altman and apologized to him for my remarks to Dillon Brooks following our game,’’ Krzyzewski said. “It is not my place to talk to another team’s player and doing so took the focus away from the terrific game that Dillon played.

“In the postgame press conference, I reacted incorrectly to a reporter’s question about my comment to Dillon. Clearly, the story that night was about Oregon advancing to the Elite Eight, and the outstanding game they played. I sincerely hope I did not create a distraction for Coach Altman and his team at this critical time of year. Certainly, I have the utmost respect for the Oregon program and their tremendous accomplishments.”

USAToday

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