When Coach K feared Michael Jordan would talk smack to him due to UNC vs Duke rivalry: "He could've said 'Hey get over here idiot and work with me'"

Michael Jordan worked with several coaches over the years, even after reaching the pinnacle of the basketball world. One of the most iconic coaches he ever trained with was Mike Krzyzewski, aka Coach K, who has a coaching career spanning over 48 years, including a 42-year legacy as head coach of Duke University.

In his iconic career, he has coached many legends, including the 1992 Dream Team and the 2008 Redeem Team for USA Basketball in the Olympics. In an interview with Graham Bensinger in 2010, Coach K opened up about his experience as an assistant coach for Chuck Daly with the 1992 Dream Team.

He spoke about it being one of the greatest moments of his life where, after winning two national championships, he got to work with the likes of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and many more legends.

When asked about the time Michael Jordan asked him for help, he said (24:43):

“It was after our first practice, I felt good because they didn't make a mistake their first practice and I'm just sitting there and he [Michael Jordan] came over and he says, “Coach, Would you please, I'd like to work on some of my offensive stuff, would you please work with me?”

Krzyzewski believed that the long rivalry between the North Carolina Tar Heels, Jordan's alma mater and the Duke Blue Devils would lead the NBA legend to treat him differently. However, that wasn't the case and Coach K believed that it was Jordan's way of making him feel comfortable.

"He could have said, 'Hey get over here idiot and work with me!' and I would have done that," Krzyzewski said. "Yeah, I would have done it, just like a lot of people at in workplaces will do their job. But then I would have felt as inconsequential and no ego and whatever because it was stripped from me by the main guy."

After the initial shock of seeing Michael Jordan ask for help, Coach K was surprised to see how humble Michael was. Jordan had a reputation for talking trash to almost anybody.

“Instead, he gave me a chance to have an ego, and then he called me with respect, coach. Just by knowing a person's name, he said please and thank you. In other words, there was no organizational chart where he was the top guy and I'm here on the bottom. It was like on his team, everybody was important."

Mike Krzyzewski also added that, while he has no proof, he believes that Jordan wanted the focus away from their college team's rivalries. Rather, he wanted to work for the Team USA goals.

Why Coach K thought Michael Jordan would talk smack to him: Duke vs UNC rivalry background

The Duke vs UNC rivalry dates back to the early 20th century. Rated as one of the hottest college rivalries, these two schools are located just 10 miles apart on Tobacco Road, a highway in North Carolina. Their rivalry, while prevalent in every sport, found its roots in their basketball programs.

Mike Krzyzewski gestures at his team during the Final Four matchup vs North Carolina Tar Heels in 2022. [NCAA Basketball: Final Four-Semifinals-North Carolina vs Duke - Source: Imagn]

Duke began its basketball program in 1905, while UNC started its basketball program in 1910. In over a century of battles between the neighboring schools, UNC leads their record 143-115. These two teams will play against each other once again on February 1, 2025.