A young Michael Jordan displayed outstanding talent in high school, sparking an intense recruiting battle among colleges across the country. Ultimately, he chose North Carolina State in 1980, leaving many other prestigious programs disappointed.
One of these was Duke University, which had recently appointed a new head coach, Mike Krzyzewski. Upon learning of MJ’s college choice, Coach K personally contacted the promising shooting guard with a letter.
“Dear Mike, I am sorry to hear that you no longer have interest in learning more about Duke University, however I do want you to know that my staff and I wish you the very best in your college career. You are a fine young man and you should make an immediate impact on whatever you chose,” Krzyzewski wrote in October 1980.
MJ’s recruitment
Jordan grew up in North Carolina, the state where both UNC and Duke are located. These local ties made them top choices for recruiting the young MJ, sparking speculation about a potential recruitment battle between the two schools. However, over 30 years later, Krzyzewski recalled a different perspective on this assumption.
“You know, we didn’t recruit him (Jordan). Buzz Peterson was the state player of the year that year in North Carolina,” Krzyzewski remarked on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
However, Coach K couldn’t deny that a young Jordan would have significantly improved his first season with the Blue Devils, as the team finished their conference with a disappointing 10-17 record. Meanwhile, MJ as a freshman, alongside James Worthy and Sam Perkins, secured the NCAA title for the Tar Heels that year
In the early 90s, Coach K and Duke replicated this success by winning back-to-back titles. Under Krzyzewski’s guidance, the school claimed a total of five titles, with the final one coming in 2015.
Two outstanding legends
The letter, currently exhibited in the UNC Basketball Museum, has stirred different responses online. Some saw it as a heartfelt and touching gesture from Coach K, who, rather than taking offense, displayed empathy and even extended good wishes. On the other hand, some perceived it as a standard letter sent to all players rejecting Duke’s offer, not necessarily out of genuine kindness but as a precaution in case they might show interest later on.
In the end, both Krzyzewski and ‘His Airness’ probably didn’t dwell on it too much, as they both became legends in the game of basketball. Coach K, who retired last year, is currently the winningest college basketball head coach. On the other hand, MJ, after shining with the Tar Heels and later with the Chicago Bulls, arguably became the greatest NBA player ever.
The two Hall of Famers even had the chance to team up when Krzyzewski was an assistant coach on the 1992 Dream Team. Their partnership proved successful as Team USA demolished practically every opponent during the Olympics in Barcelona en route to securing the gold medal.