Known for his intense, businesslike presence on the sideline, retired Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski built a legacy that includes five national championships and 13 Final Four appearances. But according to Duke superfan Ken Jeong, Coach K also had a surprisingly sharp sense of humor.
While attending the Final Four on Saturday, Jeong recalled a courtside moment where Krzyzewski showed no mercy—verbally. The story offered a rare glimpse into the lighter side of the legendary coach who rarely let his guard down during his Hall of Fame career.
Duke Legend Coach K Shows His Wit in Courtside Moment with Ken Jeong
Ken Jeong, the actor and comedian known for his high-energy antics and unwavering Duke fandom, found himself on the receiving end of a classic Coach K zinger during a recent game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Jeong, a 1990 Duke graduate, shared the story on ESPN’s College GameDay ahead of Duke’s Final Four showdown with Houston.
As Jeong animatedly cheered courtside, Krzyzewski—seated nearby with his wife Mickie—wasn’t afraid to deliver a well-timed jab.
“He could not have been more annoyed,” Jeong joked. “Coach K was like, ‘Are you sitting here? This is for important people.’”
This story of Coach K roasting @kenjeong at the Duke game 😂 pic.twitter.com/WVLABbCQFy
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) April 5, 2025
The ESPN crew burst into laughter as Jeong recounted the moment.
But Krzyzewski wasn’t done.
“He was roasting me non-stop,” Jeong said. “He turns to Mickie and goes, ‘My wife sees you on The Masked Singer every week.’ I said, ‘Oh, thank you, Coach.’ And he goes, ‘I didn’t say she liked you.’”
During halftime, as a fan in costume danced across the court, Krzyzewski added one more shot.
“He goes, ‘You could do that. You have that.’”
Jeong fired back with, “I’m a doctor,” only to be met with the legendary Coach K shrug.
“I’m done if he gives the shoulder pat,” Jeong laughed, clearly relishing the memory.
The moment gave fans a rare look at the dry wit behind Krzyzewski’s famously intense demeanor—a side even Jeong admitted he didn’t expect.
Krzyzewski, known simply as Coach K, retired in 2022 after 47 seasons and 1,202 career wins—the most in NCAA Division I men’s basketball history. His résumé includes five national titles, 13 Final Fours, 15 ACC Tournament championships, 101 NCAA Tournament wins, and 68 NBA Draft picks.
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But to Jeong, and now to fans everywhere, it also includes a Hall of Fame sense of humor.
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