Found this on Yahoo.
Oregon coach’s blunt message for Coach K after postgame flap
New York Post8 hours ago
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The postgame handshake was slightly protracted.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski held onto the hand of Oregon star sophomore Dillon Brooks for just a little bit longer than the customary congratulatory pat-and-go after the Ducks dominated his Blue Devils in Thursday night’s West Region semifinal at the Honda Center.
Brooks, who had gone off for 22 points, five rebounds and six assists, had just launched a rainbow 3-pointer as an exclamation point to the Oregon rout before preening to the Duke bench and to the crowd.
Given that the Ducks were up by 11 points, the clock was bleeding toward 10 seconds and the Duke defenders had backed off in conceded defeat, you could make the argument those histrionics were unnecessary.
During their exchange on the sideline, Krzyzewski praised Brooks for being a great player, but also lectured him about showboating, according to Brooks — though the Duke coach denied doing so.
On Friday, in advance of Oregon’s showdown against Oklahoma for a Final Four berth, the Brooks-Coach K incident remained the topic of conversation, with Brooks and Oregon coach Dana Altman defusing it, putting forth their best Bill Belichick “we’re on to Oklahoma.’’
Altman said he instructed Brooks to take that last shot.
“At the end of the game there was a difference in the shot clock and the game clock and I told Dillon to shoot it,’’ Altman said. “So if anybody’s got a problem with it — it should be directed at me. He was acting on my orders. I didn’t think he’d make it. It was a 30-footer.
“Dillon is a competitor and he’s been fun to work with. It’s a dead issue as far as we’re concerned. We’re moving on to Oklahoma. I hope it’s a dead issue for everybody else.’’
Modal Trigger
Dillon BrooksPhoto: Getty Images
Asked about Brooks’ celebration afterward, Altman said, “Well, if we can’t celebrate hitting a shot … that’s part of the game. It was a 30-footer, he took it, it’s done. We’re moving on to Oklahoma. I hope he hits a 30-footer [Saturday]. It would be great for our team.’’
Brooks said he spoke with Altman “about this whole situation’’ and added, “Me and Coach K, that conversation should have stayed with us.’’
“But overall, me and Coach K are both professionals and I have to move on from this situation and focus on Oklahoma,’’ Brooks said. “I’ve been devoting my all into this team and into finding a way to beat Oklahoma.
“I didn’t feel like we did anything wrong [Thursday night]. I played the game I always play and these guys [his teammates] rallied around me and rallied around the way I play, so I ain’t going to change.’’
During the postgame press conference with Krzyzewski, the coach initially said of his conversation with Brooks: “I just congratulated him. He’s a terrific player. He makes their team go.’’
The moment grew awkward a few minutes later when a reporter informed Krzyzewski that Brooks had said the Duke coach told him he was too good a player to show off like he did at the end of a game that was already decided.
Krzyzewski then grew testy and snapped, “I didn’t say that.’’
When Krzyzewski was told Brooks agreed with his advice, Krzyzewski said: “You can say whatever you want. Dillon Brooks is a hell of a player. I said, ‘You’re a terrific player.’ And you can take whatever he said and go with it, all right?’’
Said Brooks of Krzyzewski: “He said I’m a great player and I’m doing great things, but at the end of the game, the celebration stuff, I don’t have to do that. I shouldn’t be doing that.’’
Brooks took Krzyzewski’s constructive criticism in stride, actually saying, “He’s right.’’
Whether it was appropriate on Krzyzewski’s part or not — inserting himself into a teaching moment with another coach’s player — is debatable. Owning five national championships probably affords the legendary Duke coach latitude to do as he pleases in that circumstance.
There is irony attached to the moment in that Krzyzewski, of all people, was lecturing an opposing player about agitating an opponent when he has coached a succession of agitators that goes back generations (Christian Laettner, J.J. Redick and currently Grayson Allen).
Brooks acknowledged his emotions were in overdrive playing the biggest game of his life against a power like Duke.
“That brings something to everybody,’’ he said. “Everybody watches Duke. Everybody watches the J.J. Redicks, Coach K coaching in national championships, Christian Laettner, all of those guys. That took me to an all-time level, and now I’m just trying to replicate it for the next game.’’
Oregon coach’s blunt message for Coach K after postgame flap
New York Post8 hours ago
ANAHEIM, Calif. — The postgame handshake was slightly protracted.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski held onto the hand of Oregon star sophomore Dillon Brooks for just a little bit longer than the customary congratulatory pat-and-go after the Ducks dominated his Blue Devils in Thursday night’s West Region semifinal at the Honda Center.
Brooks, who had gone off for 22 points, five rebounds and six assists, had just launched a rainbow 3-pointer as an exclamation point to the Oregon rout before preening to the Duke bench and to the crowd.
Given that the Ducks were up by 11 points, the clock was bleeding toward 10 seconds and the Duke defenders had backed off in conceded defeat, you could make the argument those histrionics were unnecessary.
During their exchange on the sideline, Krzyzewski praised Brooks for being a great player, but also lectured him about showboating, according to Brooks — though the Duke coach denied doing so.
On Friday, in advance of Oregon’s showdown against Oklahoma for a Final Four berth, the Brooks-Coach K incident remained the topic of conversation, with Brooks and Oregon coach Dana Altman defusing it, putting forth their best Bill Belichick “we’re on to Oklahoma.’’
Altman said he instructed Brooks to take that last shot.
“At the end of the game there was a difference in the shot clock and the game clock and I told Dillon to shoot it,’’ Altman said. “So if anybody’s got a problem with it — it should be directed at me. He was acting on my orders. I didn’t think he’d make it. It was a 30-footer.
“Dillon is a competitor and he’s been fun to work with. It’s a dead issue as far as we’re concerned. We’re moving on to Oklahoma. I hope it’s a dead issue for everybody else.’’
Modal Trigger
Dillon BrooksPhoto: Getty Images
Asked about Brooks’ celebration afterward, Altman said, “Well, if we can’t celebrate hitting a shot … that’s part of the game. It was a 30-footer, he took it, it’s done. We’re moving on to Oklahoma. I hope he hits a 30-footer [Saturday]. It would be great for our team.’’
Brooks said he spoke with Altman “about this whole situation’’ and added, “Me and Coach K, that conversation should have stayed with us.’’
“But overall, me and Coach K are both professionals and I have to move on from this situation and focus on Oklahoma,’’ Brooks said. “I’ve been devoting my all into this team and into finding a way to beat Oklahoma.
“I didn’t feel like we did anything wrong [Thursday night]. I played the game I always play and these guys [his teammates] rallied around me and rallied around the way I play, so I ain’t going to change.’’
During the postgame press conference with Krzyzewski, the coach initially said of his conversation with Brooks: “I just congratulated him. He’s a terrific player. He makes their team go.’’
The moment grew awkward a few minutes later when a reporter informed Krzyzewski that Brooks had said the Duke coach told him he was too good a player to show off like he did at the end of a game that was already decided.
Krzyzewski then grew testy and snapped, “I didn’t say that.’’
When Krzyzewski was told Brooks agreed with his advice, Krzyzewski said: “You can say whatever you want. Dillon Brooks is a hell of a player. I said, ‘You’re a terrific player.’ And you can take whatever he said and go with it, all right?’’
Said Brooks of Krzyzewski: “He said I’m a great player and I’m doing great things, but at the end of the game, the celebration stuff, I don’t have to do that. I shouldn’t be doing that.’’
Brooks took Krzyzewski’s constructive criticism in stride, actually saying, “He’s right.’’
Whether it was appropriate on Krzyzewski’s part or not — inserting himself into a teaching moment with another coach’s player — is debatable. Owning five national championships probably affords the legendary Duke coach latitude to do as he pleases in that circumstance.
There is irony attached to the moment in that Krzyzewski, of all people, was lecturing an opposing player about agitating an opponent when he has coached a succession of agitators that goes back generations (Christian Laettner, J.J. Redick and currently Grayson Allen).
Brooks acknowledged his emotions were in overdrive playing the biggest game of his life against a power like Duke.
“That brings something to everybody,’’ he said. “Everybody watches Duke. Everybody watches the J.J. Redicks, Coach K coaching in national championships, Christian Laettner, all of those guys. That took me to an all-time level, and now I’m just trying to replicate it for the next game.’’
