Coach K receives a great tribute from the former player before his final home game
Former Duke guard Marty Clark went viral for his heartfelt tribute to Mike Krzyzewski ahead of Coach K’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Clark played four seasons at Duke from 1990-1994, winning consecutive national championships to kickstart his college career. He was mostly a substitute for his first two years, but he averaged 18.8 minutes per game as a junior and 21.1 minutes per game with a senior, topping the middle with a mid-ranger. average 8.1 points per game.
Clark praised Coach K in his tribute.
“I love playing for him. As a player, you always know where you stand, you are always encouraged and played out of love for the game and for each other – and never out of fear. Clark wrote.
But Clark’s tribute got attention for more than that.
Clark said he has struggled with alcoholism for two decades, and the phone call from Coach K helped him stay sober.
“The best coaching I got from him was not on the basketball court. I struggled with alcoholism for 2 decades before seeking help. I used to go to treatment, going in and out of my room and couldn’t understand what was going on and started not caring at all… Relapse, after relapse, after relapse, I became estranged from my wife and 2 children. Life is sh*tty. The coach called me one day in the summer of 2014. He knew through my wife and daughter, Debbie Krzyzewski Savarino, that I wasn’t playing well. I asked him like a good alcoholic, “who did you hear that from?” There was a long pause and I knew I needed to make a change right then and there. I hate him for that man, I always wanted him to know that I did a great job. I can’t imagine disappointing him. When.
“This is the only man I can’t lie to, and the man I implicitly trust (sic). I was embarrassed, angry, and heartbroken in the same moment. He wanted nothing from me but to know that I was loved and that whatever I struggled with, I didn’t have to do it alone. With his support, I am nearing the end of 7 years of peace. And to this day, I believe this wouldn’t have happened without his phone call. Love this guy.”