DURHAM — Two days after denying to reporters that he talked to Oregon’s Dillon Brooks about sportsmanship in the aftermath of Oregon’s 82-68 Sweet 16 win, Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski issued an apology to Oregon coach Dana Altman.
“Today, I spoke with Oregon head coach Dana Altman and apologized to him for my remarks to Dillon Brooks following our game,” Krzyzewski said in a statement. “It is not my place to talk to another team’s player and doing so took the focus away from the terrific game that Dillon played.
“In the postgame press conference, I reacted incorrectly to a reporter’s question about my comment to Dillon. Clearly, the story that night was about Oregon advancing to the Elite Eight, and the outstanding game they played. I sincerely hope I did not create a distraction for Coach Altman and his team at this critical time of year. Certainly, I have the utmost respect for the Oregon program and their tremendous accomplishments.”
Brooks, who hit a long 3-pointer and celebrated in the direction of Duke’s bench with seconds left in a double-digit game, told reporters after Thursday’s West regional semifinal win that Krzyzewski lightly admonished him for showboating.
“He just told me that I’m too good of a player to be showing out at the end,” Brooks told reporters in Anaheim. “And he’s right. I’ve got to respect Duke.”
But when asked about the handshake line interaction in the press conference following the game, Krzyzewski denied telling Brooks anything about sportsmanship.
From the NCAA ASAP Sports transcript:
Q. Apparently after the game Dillon said that you told him that he was too good of a player to be showing off at the end like that —
MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: I didn’t say that.
Q. He said of you that you were right.
MIKE KRZYZEWSKI: 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 then go with it, all right?
Video and audio captured by CBS backs up Brooks’ version of events as Krzyzewski is shown seemingly telling Brooks, “You’re too good a player to do that. You’re too good of a player.”
Coach K’s pants are on fire: https://t.co/OgqZUBisze https://t.co/gcqBGrOM7B
— SB Nation (@SBNation) March 26, 2016
Because these so-called controversies never die quickly, Brooks was asked about the interaction in the team’s pre-Elite Eight availability Friday.
“You know, I talked with Coach Altman about this whole situation,” Brooks said. “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.”
I think I speak for everyone when I say, can we be done with this now?