Five Banners
Inside the Duke Basketball Dynasty
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4.4 • 11 Ratings
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- $29.99
Publisher Description
On an early morning in 1983, after the worst loss of his career (109-66 against Virginia) and amid the cries of powerful athletics boosters calling for him to be fired, Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski went to breakfast at 2:00 a.m. to vent with friends. Sports journalist and Duke alumnus John Feinstein was at the table. For Coach K, “the night at Denny’s” would mark a turning point in his career and for the team, and eight years later, the Blue Devils would win their first NCAA national championship.
In Five Banners, Feinstein tells the inside history of Coach K’s forty-two-year career at Duke and its five NCAA championships, from the first, against Kansas in 1991, to the most recent, in 2015 against Wisconsin. With unparalleled access to Coach K, the team, and its staff, Feinstein takes readers on a mesmerizing ride into the locker room and onto the court. Full of intimate details, personal memories, and previously untold on- and off-court stories, it is a book that only Feinstein could write.
Feinstein explores a basketball legacy that begins with his days as an undergrad Duke Chronicle reporter covering coaches Bucky Waters and Neill McGeachy (who went 10-16 in one year as head coach), includes the “drought years” of the 1980s and the glory of the teams of the 1990s, and moves into the present day with Jon Scheyer’s succession. Drawing on new interviews, Feinstein highlights the voices of Grant Hill, Nolan Smith, Christian Laettner, Tommy Amaker, and Bobby Hurley, who each bring new insights on the championship years.
Throughout, Feinstein unveils the momentous force of college basketball as a game of intense relationships and intimate conversations. Candid, revelatory, and engrossing, Five Banners is an essential book for all Duke fans and anyone who loves the college game.
Customer Reviews
Duke Alumnus & Fan!
John Feinstein’s Five Banners: Inside the Duke Basketball Dynasty provides an in-depth look at Coach Mike Krzyzewski’s remarkable 42-year tenure at Duke University, chronicling the team’s five NCAA championships from 1991 to 2015. With exclusive access to players and staff, Feinstein offers revealing anecdotes and personal insights that enrich the narrative. The book captures the intense relationships and emotional moments that define college basketball, making it a compelling read for fans and sports enthusiasts alike.
John Feinstein captures Coach K’s leadership through intimate storytelling and unprecedented access to Duke’s basketball program. He highlights Krzyzewski’s adaptability, showcasing moments like his strategic shift to a three-point-heavy offense, demonstrating a forward-thinking approach in a rapidly evolving game. Feinstein emphasizes Krzyzewski’s focus on relationships, revealing how he motivates players individually while fostering a strong team ethos. Through personal anecdotes and insights from former players, the book illustrates Krzyzewski’s enduring impact on college basketball and his philosophy of “beat everybody,” which encapsulates his relentless pursuit of excellence.
Clearly written by a Duke insider and fan, the book portrays how “the night at Denny’s prompted a shift in Coach K’s approach to leadership and responding to and molding team dynamics.
A fun read for me!
What happened to Feinstein?
I used to look forward to his books, but like the last one this borders on unreadable. It is merely a recitation of Duke’s schedule and stats. That’s it, no great inside info or revealing insights. Very disappointing by JF.