SHOCKWAVES IN DURHAM: Roy Williams Outranks Coach K on All-Time List — Duke Fans Left Outraged, Tar Heels Rejoice!
Basketball fans are buzzing after The Athletic released its latest Top 25 Coaches of the 2000s ranking — and it’s already dividing the blue-bloods. The biggest shock? Legendary North Carolina head coach Roy Williams landed higher on the list than longtime Duke icon Mike Krzyzewski, known affectionately as Coach K.
Roy Williams, who coached Kansas before returning to UNC, led the Tar Heels to three national championships and numerous Final Four appearances. His reputation for building cohesive, unselfish teams and his ability to dominate during March Madness have long cemented his Hall of Fame credentials.
But for Duke fans, seeing Coach K — the five-time national champion with over 1,100 career wins and a gold-plated resume — ranked below his biggest rival feels like a slap in the face. Social media has exploded with reactions from Blue Devil loyalists, calling the ranking “blasphemous” and accusing the list of disrespecting college basketball’s winningest coach.
On the other side, Tar Heel Nation is celebrating. For years, debates over which coach had the edge defined the UNC-Duke rivalry. Now, with The Athletic’s ranking in hand, Carolina fans feel they’ve scored one more victory — one that goes beyond the hardwood.
Critics argue the ranking likely factors in off-court impact, player development, and overall influence on the sport — areas where both coaches have left lasting legacies. Still, perception is everything in sports, and this ranking has added yet another fiery chapter to the Tobacco Road rivalry.
Whether you agree or not, one thing is clear: the Roy vs. K debate is far from over. And college basketball fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
