Austin Rivers joined ESPN Radio with Scott Van Pelt and Ryen Russillo to talk about the feeling of hitting the game-winning shot over North Carolina, on the idea that his shot was one of the greatest in the history of the two teams, what the play was designed to do, on the expectations placed on him, and what it’s like to have a father coaching in the NBA.

How it feels to hit the game-winning shot over North Carolina:

“It was just an amazing feeling. It was a big team win. I think everybody contributed to the win and just to get the win at North Carolina, versus a great team, meant a lot. Everybody stepped up and when that ball went through the net I couldn’t even tell you what I was thinking man. Everything went so fast.”

On the idea that his shot was one of the greatest in the history of the rivalry between Duke and North Carolina:

“I don’t even know what to think just because I’m just a freshman so in your first year in college to do something like that is amazing. It was a good moment for our team but we’re really focused for Saturday and that’s what we’re looking forward to now.”

What the play was designed to do:

“It was kind of like a dual option where the play started. Dre (Andre Dawkins) kind of just ran off a screen and I could kind of choose what I saw and just read the play. I saw a pick and roll option and I went off it. Once I saw Zeller on me I think the guys were telling me to go for the two. If you look at the play you see Seth (Curry) like ‘go, go, go,’ but Zeller was kind of backing off me a bit and I just kept stepping toward him a little bit and he kept backing off and kept backing off and then I just kind of got in rhythm and I just shot the shot. It felt good when it left my hands but your heart drops because you just don’t know. Then when it goes through the net it felt amazing.”

On people’s expectations:

“You can’t ever worry about people’s expectations because if you do that you’re just going to drive yourself crazy because you can never please everybody. You just have to worry about your own expectations and most importantly your team’s expectations. If you can fulfill those then that should make you happy. I’ve just come in here and worked really hard. Coach K and them never give up on anyone here and they challenge me every day to get better and be a leader. That’s one thing I’m trying to do right now and I think I’ve gotten a lot better here at Duke and the team has gotten a lot better. Every day you have to fight. That’s the way here at Duke. Every single day you have to fight here in practice. Every game you play people want to beat Duke so you have to fight. I think that makes you into a better player and why so many players come out of here successful. That’s one thing I’m learning to do now and one thing I have learned to do and we have to continue that habit.”

What it is like to have a father coaching in the NBA:

“I think it’s unique because my dad, he knows what he’s talking about as far as basketball goes and he’s always there for me. He always helps me out with things and he’s been there for me. It’s not all basketball with him. People like to think on the outside I bet you know Austin and his dad talk about basketball but at the end of the day he’s a normal guy to me. He’s a father. He has always been for me. It’s unique to have someone who is a father but at the same time someone who can really help you in the game you love the most and I think that’s the most unique aspect of it.”

Listen to Austin Rivers on ESPN Radio here (Audio begins 10:00 into the podcast)

The Blue Devils have played one of the toughest schedules in the country and have just four losses, but they’ve come against some strange opponents like Temple and an overtime loss to Miami over the weekend. Krzyzewski says the team simply hasn’t learned to play with consistency.

Mike Krzyzewski joined 1070 The Fan in Indianapolis with Dan Dakich to discuss overcoming tough early seasons in his career, this season in general, giving teams that beat Duke credit, how he’s fighting a team that’s battling inconsistency and Duke having the same problems as every other team in the country.

How did you persevere through three tough seasons to start your career?:

“First of all, I always felt we were going to win. But I also felt that I was on a team here at Duke, with my president and the administration. … They were always behind me. Not publicly, necessarily, but privately, I knew they had their support and backing. It was a total team effort, and I’m not sure that that’s done as much anymore in college athletics for high level, not even high level, basketball and football.”

How do you feel about this year’s team?:

“I like the fact that we’ve won 19 out of 23 games against an extremely difficult schedule, one of the top schedules in the country. I’m not happy with the way we’ve developed. Based on that schedule, we should’ve learned more, so that we wouldn’t be inconsistent from game-to-game and within a game. We can play really good basketball at times, or for a game, and then all of the sudden not play well.”

Isn’t it weird that when Duke loses, nobody gives the other team credit?:

“I agree with that. Jim Larranaga is a heckuva coach. [Miami] has really good talent. They have as much talent as we do, and other coaches know how to use their talent. So much for us is like what we’ve done in the past. We were ranked in the top five or six or seven in the preseason, but none of our guys were ranked in the top 50 in the country. Usually we have one or two of those guys. … This year’s team has gotten a lot from what we’ve done in the past, and then lived up to it. We beat Kansas and Washington and Michigan and Michigan State and those teams, but still not the dependable, consistent group that you need to have to get into the tournament and advance far.”

What are you fighting every day with that?:

“Just consistency. When you played and when you coached at Indiana, you were a good player. You were like Jon Scheyer for me. You weren’t going to be a lottery pick or first-round pick, but you could be a really good college player. You came to practice wanting to be that. But then you had a couple, one or two, other guys who could be pros, really good players. To me, that’s the type of combination. We don’t have guys who, you were on a mission to be good every day, and when you have guys that have been role players before, and then freshmen coming in, that’s something you have to learn. I don’t think our guys have learned that yet. As a result, we get some inconsistent play against good teams.”

That seems surprising because people realize that’s a problem for programs around the country, but it doesn’t seem like something that happens at Duke:

“To me, it’s the biggest insult a player can give a coach, is not to listen and not to really listen to what a coach says. When I played for Coach Knight, I heard one voice, his. I didn’t hear mine. I didn’t hear my parents, AAU coach, friends, Twitter. I heard one voice. When the guys here have been really good, they’ve heard one voice. … That doesn’t make our kids bad kids. They’re good kids and they’ve played real well. They’re 19-4 and have played some outstanding basketball, but in order to be really good, you have to listen to that one teacher.”

Listen to Mike Krzyzewski on 1070 The Fan in Indianapolis here

Battier, who was traded from Houston back to Memphis most recently, says he’s at peace knowing that if the NBA never settles their labor dispute, he would be able to use his education to go find gainful employment.

Shane Battier joined KILT in Houston with The Odd Couple to discuss being in attendance for Mike Krzyzewski’s record-setting night, why Coach K is so special in general, the Penn State scandal, how involved he has been in the lockout, what it’s like to be going through it as a free agent and fans who are losing interest in the NBA.

On being in attendance for Mike Krzyzewski’s record-setting victory:

“It was an unbelievable night, a special night. There were about 25 or 30 former players, managers and support staff all at Madison Square Garden. … We were nervous the first half, but once the game was in hand, it was a pretty big celebration and a special night to be there.”

What is it that’s so special about him, not just with sports, but life in general?:

“He’s an unbelievable leader. He happens to just be a basketball coach. But if he was in charge of a corporation or in a government position or a school teacher, he’d be successful because he knows how to unite his group. His biggest asset is getting talented people to worker harder and more together than anybody else. That’s his trademark. There are other coaches who probably know Xs and Os, could probably draw up a better play than Coach K, but I don’t think there’s anybody that can get five people to work together on a court than he can.”

On the Penn State scandal:

“I think I was as shocked as everybody else. It’s a disturbing story and obviously it’s early in the investigation and the trial. It’s premature to really indict anybody, but the initial details and story you hear are shocking and appalling. … Let’s hope something like this never occurs again in athletics or in the world.”

What’s the offseason been like? Have you been involved with the lockout?:

“I’ve been a conscientious observer of the process. I really haven’t been too involved with the mediators, but I’ve been talking to different representatives and guys in the know in the inner circle and given my two cents. Obviously, it stinks. There’s no way around it. The players feel terrible and it’s a no-win situation. There’s not going to be a winner out of this scenario. Unfortunately it’s the ugly business side  of what we do. It’s the side that normally never creeps up, but in times of collective bargaining negotiation, and I’m sure that you guys are sick of reading antitrust law … but it’s the reality of our business.”

What’s it been like to go through the lockout process as a free agent?:

“Life goes on, it really goes on. I’m fortunate to have played 10 years in the league. I’m secure in who I am. At this point, I’m confident that if the NBA were to never settle, I could go out and get a job and use my brain to provide for my family. That’s allowed me amazing piece of mind to just start thinking about post-basketball, but at the same time be ready for when we do settle, if we settle, to be ready to go.”

What do you say to fans who say they’ve grown disinterested in the NBA due to the lockout and say they won’t come back?:

“I feel for them. I can’t deny their feelings, but I know that when we do settle, the players will do their best to win back our fans. We have unbelievable fans. Anyone who’s an NBA fan or has been to an NBA game … knows that we share a bond and a passion over basketball. In the end, the game always wins. You can talk about the litigation and the arguments, but basketball is basketball and it’s never going away. We’re hopeful that people don’t lose sight of that.”

Listen to Shane Battier on KILT in Houston here

It’s truly refreshing to find a head coach out there in college sports who stuck by the fundamentals of his program. Krzyzewski’s coaching career has been marked by consistency on-and-off the court for his students. Although Duke University basketball may be one of the most despised programs out there it sure wasn’t this way when Coach K took over the reins in 1980. In fact he was almost fired three years into his coaching career. In an modern era where the public has seen coaching legends such as Jim Tressel and now Joe Paterno embroiled in scandal, Krzyzewski’s legacy and image as one of the greatest coaches and teachers in collegiate sports history carries on.

Mike Krzyzewski joined Fox Sports Radio with The Dan Patrick Show to discuss the loss that haunts him the most as Duke head coach, almost being fired in 1983, the win that stands out the most in his coaching career, when he finally will retire, having a head coach in-waiting lined up for when he does decided to retire, and why he doesn’t think he’ll be a part of the selection process for his successor.

Give me the loss that still haunts you? The one that stays with you occasionally?

“Probably the worst lose was at the end of my third year. We lost 109-66 to Ralph Sampson and Virginia in the ACC tournament. He played the whole game. There were a lot of people who wanted me fired and a lot of our money givers. That could have been the breaking point.”

How close do you think you were to getting fired?

“With my administration I don’t think close at all. I think they knew when they hired me it was going to be a rebuilding process and they were going to stick with me. I never felt that from president [Terry] Sanford, the former Governor of North Carolina, from our president or Tom Butters our A.D. It may been close. I never felt the pressure of maybe being fired. I was probably naive. I was probably very naive.”

903 wins. Which is the one that stands out the most or you are most proud about?

“I think the very first championship. The championships are what you remember. I’m not talking about national championships or first – any championship – regular season and the ACC tournament. It really use to be just a regional championship to get to the final four. In 1986 when we won our first regular season championship at the Cameron [Arena] on senior day with the class of kids that were really the model for our program with Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, Jay Bilas and David Henderson and then Tommy Amaker came the next year. Those kids won the ACC regular season on senior night and it showed we could win championships and not just win games.”

Don’t you have to throw your assistant coaches a bone like Steve Wojciechowski and say you’ll be coaching here in 2013?

“Well I have three guys who I think are head coaches in Steve Wojciechowski and Chris Collins and Jeff Capel. I let them do – not let them – I want them to do a whole bunch and they do in our program. This time next year all three of them may be having head coaching jobs.”

You have to have a head coach in waiting?

“I don’t think you have a coach in-waiting. I don’t like that scenario, where you say someone is going to take over for you.”

You won’t hand pick your successor?

“I don’t think that will happen. I think I will have a lot to do with it, but I don’t feel that is right where you as a coach are bigger than what the institution would think that it needs. The institution should listen to you and I should have a lot of input, but it should be the person who the new coach would work for is the person who should make that decision. Right now that is Kevin White our athletic director.”

Listen to Mike Krzyzewski on Fox Sports Radio here

The Cavs have the No. 1 and the No. 4 overall picks, which makes a draft which many feel lacks a lot of superstar power pretty intriguing. The Cavs and Irving will likely make it official tonight, then he’ll have to wait and see who joins him as Cleveland tries to pick up the pieces after LeBron James’ departure.

Kyrie Irving joined The Dan Patrick Show to discuss what he thinks will happen in tonight’s draft, what he’s heard from Mike Krzyzewski, why he’s not concerned about a foot injury that kept him from playing most of his freshman year at Duke, his strengths and if there will be any pressure to be the next LeBron.

Are you going to Cleveland?:

“I’m not sure yet.”

They haven’t told you?:

“Nope.”

Have you shopped for housing in Cleveland yet?:

“No, I have not shopped for housing in Cleveland yet.”

What did Mike Krzyzewski say to you?:

“He just told me to enjoy this process, honestly, just take my time with it. He’s really supportive of me during this process and is going to continue to offer me wisdom.”

What’s more concerning to you, that you didn’t get to play a lot of college games or the toe injury that kept you from playing in those games?:

“I’m not even concerned about either one of those. More or less I’m concerned about the time management at the next level. I’ve heard there’s a lot of down time. Just getting used to playing back-to-backs and flying and taking care of your body and playing again. I just think that’s a transition that I’m going to have to experience myself.”

What is it that you do better than everyone else?:

“I just think my basketball IQ and the way I play the game. I’m an up-tempo kind of guy and I really excel on the fastbreak. Also, I can run a half-court offense. I just think I try to be the most complete point guard in general.”

How much pressure will there be to be the next LeBron James?:

“I’m not really looking to be the next LeBron James unless I grow about six inches in the next two hours or the next week or so. Right now, I’m just really looking forward to contributing to any team that wants to take me.”

Do you have a Cleveland Cavaliers colored tie for the draft?:

“No, no Dan, I’m not having a Cleveland Cavalier-colored tie on.”

Do you own one that you’ll be able to wear at your first press conference?:

“No, I don’t have a Cleveland Cavalier tie prepared.”

What’s your number in Cleveland?:

“In the NBA, Dan, I think hopefully my number will either be number 1 or number 11.”

Who are you most looking forward to guarding?:

“I really don’t have a specific player I want to play against, I just want to play against everybody. This is a dream come true for me so I’m going to take advantage of every chance I get to play against a great point guard.”

Listen to Kyrie Irving on The Dan Patrick Show here

Mike Krzyzewski joined WFNZ in Charlotte on The Drive to discuss his time working with LeBron James during his head coaching stint with Team USA, his thoughts on the incredible amount of criticism and critique LeBron has faced all season and particularly more recently during and after this year’s NBA Playoffs, why he thinks superstar players are interested in playing for him in international competition, how long a season-ending loss wears on him as the head coach at Duke, and being honored with the Naismith Sportsmanship Award with Dean Smith and Kay Yow.

Going back to “The Redeem Team,” how were you able to get so many big personalities to co-exist?:

“First of all, I had an incredible advantage, two incredible advantages. One, working for Jerry Colangelo, who heads USA basketball, former owner of the Phoenix Suns and really one of the top men in our country. He basically put it out there to each of the players what was expected of them and I followed up with that. Second, we said they were playing for their country, not for the Lakers or Cleveland or Miami or the Knicks or Denver. They understood that this was something bigger than any one individual. … They were marvelous. All of them, to a man, said to me, ‘Coach, whatever you want me to do, I’ll do.’ If you have players that say that, at any level, you’ve got a better chance of being successful.”

What do you see in LeBron James’ game right now and does he need more leadership?:

“I think everybody needs leadership from the bench, so he’s not alone in that. I love LeBron. LeBron and I are really good friends and I pull for him. I think he has great leadership potential himself. He has a great leadership voice, he’s really smart and obviously he has an immense amount of talent. But he just went through, I think, as crazy a year as I think anybody in any sport ever has gone through. People can say, certainly some of it is of its own making, and it is. … But a lot of it wasn’t. To come out where you were two games shy of winning the whole thing, I think you have to keep it in perspective how close you were. … He learned a lot; he’s a good learner. He just needs to take some time away, work on his game and I think he’ll be fine.”

What is it about you that makes the superstar players want to play for you?:

“I’m not the only coach who has been able to do something like that and you can’t do it with everybody. There’s guys who do that with other coaches. … In Kobe’s case, and the guys that I’ve been with with the Olympic team, we never asked them to check their egos at the door. I told them to bring their egos in because when we play against Spain, Pau Gasol and Marc Gasol and all of those guys are going to have big egos. Just don’t ever let your individual ego get outside of our team ego umbrella. … When you start thinking about it that way, you have to be a bad guy not to put your ego under that ego umbrella. … You just talk to them like that.”

How long does it take for you to overcome a season-ending loss like this year’s with Duke?:

“I’m OK the next day. For me, I’ve always felt that if you’re going to have an outstanding program or franchise in the pros, you’re on a continuum. The next thing you do has to be in a direction that will help you win and if you keep looking at things in the rear view mirror then you’re going to stay in the rear view mirror whether you’ve won or lost. I take responsibility for our actions and try to figure out what went right and what didn’t go right and then you move on.”

On why he didn’t want to accept the James Naismith Sportsmanship Award unless Dean Smith was present and honored as well:

“I think that was just the right thing to do. I don’t see how you can come into this area and accept an honor when one of the greatest coaches of any sport of all time is a neighbor. … I have a few more wins now than Dean did, although if he kept coaching he’d have a zillion. I thought that night when I got one more was really a neat night because you could share it with him and I just thought it would be a really neat thing for this area, for the ACC and for college basketball to have a night like that under the name of Naismith. And then they brought in also the idea of honoring Kay Yow and I thought that was even better. … It would have been a good night, but this will make it a fabulous night.”

Listen to Mike Krzyzewski on WFNZ in Charlotte here

While he played just 11 games because of an injured toe, Irving showed all the talent that makes him worthy of being the first pick in the draft and before he got injured he was one of the best players in the country. He’s got everything that scouts look for in lead guard and while there will be lofty expectations for him to turn around a franchise like the Cavs who are still recovering from the loss of LeBron James, if I had to bet on one player in this year’s draft to become a future all-star, I would bet on Kyrie Irving.  

Kyrie Irving joined WQAM in Miami with Joe Rose to talk about his experience at the NBA draft lottery, whether or not he met with teams at the lottery, whether or not he has thought about being the first overall pick, how tough it was to make the decision to turn pro, and whether or not he thinks Mike Krzyzewski will stay at Duke or eventually go to the NBA.

How the experience was at the NBA Draft lottery:

“It was great. It was a great experience. I live about 20 minutes from Secaucus where it actually happened so it was just a chance for me to experience the NBA Draft lottery which was something I dreamed of.”

Whether or not he was allowed to talk to reps from other teams:

“Yes sir. I met probably about 150 people at the NBA draft lottery.”

If he has thought about being the first overall pick:

“I’ve thought about it a little bit but right now the main focus is about me getting better every single day. That’s what I’m working towards. Whatever team wants me to come in and work out for them that’s what I’m going to do and just give it my all. That’s what I’m preparing for. Just preparing for the workouts and after I handle the workouts then I will worry about the NBA draft.”

How tough his decision was to turn pro:

“It was a really tough decision for me to decide to turn pro, but it was the best situation for me and my family. If I wouldn’t have come back for the NCAA Tournament for those three games and proved I was healthy I wouldn’t have come out because it was such a small window having only eight games, but getting the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament and prove that I was healthy and I was still good enough to play in the NBA that kinda made my decision a lot easier.”

If he came out because he was afraid of getting another injury:

“No. Not really. My first priority was to get my education. Being in high school I didn’t feel like I was ready to play in the NBA at all. I think in previous drafts I think people were preparing a little bit better than they prepare now. They had their freshman year, sophomore year, junior year, and senior year to worry about the NBA. I was focused on just getting a scholarship. That was my main focus. I think the body of work is totally different from previous drafts until now. I think that’s what separates the LeBron’s and all the other high school players that came out. They were so far ahead from our group.”

Whether or not he thinks Coach K will ever go to the NBA: 

“I think he’s a Duke guy forever. He’s been with the program for so long. He just brought so much history and he set the standard for the next coach whenever that is for Duke. He’s a Duke Blue Devil all the way.”

Listen to Kyrie Irvin on WQAM in Miami here

Coach K joined ESPN Radio in Chicago to talk about if he can compare the feat Brad Stevens has accomplished at Butler to anything, what he thinks about Jalen Rose’s comments, and why people seemingly love to hate on Duke.

(Jay Williams) His thoughts on Derrick Williams:

“We felt that he played as well as the kid has played against us maybe in the last two years, probably Hansbrough had that type of impact on a game when he played against us.  But we thought we were probably playing 12-15 points better than them in the first half, but he had five threes, but he’s capable of it.  As he’s doing it, I’m saying “Damn.”  You want the great player to be really good, not great, when he plays against you.  I looked at Wojo and Chris Collins and said “He’s playing great” and then I looked at the stats at halftime and he had 25, I said “Holy Mackerel!”  His team which is a good team, really a good team, very well coached by Sean Miller, they just got confidence, they got more confidence, and then for about ten minutes, it was like a buzz saw.  It was just one of those things you couldn’t do anything about.”

(Silvy) If he can compare the feat Brad Stevens has accomplished at Butler to anything:

“I think it is as unique as anything that has happened in the history of the tournament.  For Butler, someone from what a so-called ‘mid major’ conference to really just play great two straight years, and make it to the final four, championship game last year, and will have a chance to win the whole thing this year.  It is just so unique, but when you look at his team he has, you will smile Jay when you hear this, Howard to me, reminds me a lot of Battier.  He plays every play, he is like a computer out there.  Mac isn’t as good as you, but he’s as good as just about anybody in this tournament, and then you have the guys who have been there before, so they have two guys who are unique players.  They would start for any of the teams that are in the Final Four.  I think they have a heck of a chance to win the whole thing.”

(Silvy)  What he thinks about Jalen Rose’s comments:

“I don’t really want to comment on that.  I just think that sometimes people say things to get attention so that they can sell their documentary.  Obviously, that was a poor choice of words and very insulting to everyone here at Duke, but especially, not just our African-American players, but any African-American student.  When you judge within a race, you start judging, like you put categories as to whom you are, I think that is just the wrong thing to do.  We were very successful against them and, to be quite frank with you, we recruited Chris Webber.  I didn’t recruit Jalen Rose because we had Grant Hill, and I’m happy with that.  We didn’t look at the other, Juwan Howard we knew wasn’t going to come to Duke.  The other two kids we didn’t think were the caliber that could play as well as Thomas Hill and Brian Davis and Billy McCaffery.  They are good kids.  They were good kids and they had a heck of a run but, they didn’t leave anything, they didn’t establish anything there.  The guys that I had established something that Jay Williams continued to do ten years later, the standards of what it meant to be a Duke basketball player.”

(Jay Williams)  Why do people love to hate Duke:

“To be quite frank with you, there are more people who love Duke.  We’re as popular a team in the United States, but we are also a hated team because we have won and it is okay.  I had John Thompson on my Sirius XM show and he talked about anger based on competition, it’s competitive anger. I am okay with that, with somebody saying I want Duke to lose because they have won.  When you attack the standards that our guys have had, that’s a different type of anger and then you should get help because then you got a problem, and it is not my problem, it is your problem.  But competitive anger I’m good with. I hate the STL Cardinals.  I’m a Chicago Cub fan.  I hate the teams in my division, but the Cardinals, especially. I still can’t get over Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio, I hold grudges.  That is what is competitive anger and that’s what fans should have and you know, those are good things.”

(Jay Williams) Whether he is going to sit down with Kyrie Erving and his family about leaving for the NBA:

“We always want to do what the youngster and his family wants to do, and we will support any decision. Your family, the diploma was so important because they had their Masters, they understood the value of a lifetime of a great education.  For the listeners, I’m not sure people realize this about Jason, but he graduated in three years from Duke, the extra time, two summer school sessions, to do that and still be the second pick in the NBA draft, two-time National Player of the Year. What you want to do is you want to punch every ticket you can and the education ticket is something that if you punch, you’ll have it there the rest of your life.  It sets you apart.”

Coach K on ESPN Radio in Chicago with Waddle and Silvy (the interview starts at the 59:45 mark)

Irving will come off the bench tonight against the fifth-seeded Arizona Wildcats and is expected to see significant minutes in this game.  So far Coach K has done a great job at integrating Irving into the lineup without disrupting the chemistry of the team.  Irving has always been an unselfish player and will do whatever is asked of him as long as it benefits the team.  Despite only playing 10 games this season, he is projected as a high lottery pick if he decides to declare for the 2011 NBA Draft.

Kyrie Irving joined Dan Patrick to talk about how he hurt his toe earlier in the season, whether he is risking anything with his toe and how important it was for him to stay in shape for an eventual return, and if he is planning to come back to school next year.

How he hurt his toe earlier in the season:

“On December 4, when it first happened, I stepped back on the sideline and all of my weight was on my toe and I separated ligaments in my big toe and it just felt like nothing was there anymore, my big toe swelled up. Somehow miraculously I went back in the game and I finished out the game and when I got back to the locker room it just swelled up and I could barely move it the next day.”

How tough the backlash was to take after injuring his toe:

“It was definitely tough, especially, some people don’t really know the whole entire situation and everyone is going to have their own perception, but it was just getting to me a little bit, but I got through that whole phase of people calling me ‘soft’ or whatever and it was fine with me.”

Whether he is risking anything with his toe and how important it was for him to stay in shape for an eventual return:

“No, sir. I would not be back out there if I didn’t have confidence in my toe, and the medical staff did not have confidence in my toe. Getting back out there is a special opportunity for me. I don’t feel like I am risking anything, anything. Especially for me I just feel like I want to contribute to my team as much as I can.”

If his role is the same as it was before his injury:

“Well personally I am going to adjust as much as I can to this team. (HOST: Well, what does that mean?) Well one, I have never been a selfish player. If anything, I will make it easier for Nolan to play whenever he needs to get off the ball. Nolan is a great player so I am just going to let him do what he has been doing throughout the whole entire season, but it is never difficult for me. I am just trying to integrate myself as best as I can to the system that Coach K had.”

A reason why he would not go back to school next year:

“Well right now there is no reason why I wouldn’t come back. I love everything about Duke and the whole situation for me is perfect.”

If he is planning to come back to school next year:

“I am not sure right now. I am just going to drop through the NCAA tournament and we will see when the season ends.”

What his criteria is for deciding whether or not he is going to come back to school next season:

“I just have to look at everything from a broader perspective. You know after the season I will sit down with the coaching staff and I will sit down with my family and we will discuss this, but right now I am just trying to focus on the NCAA tournament.”

Kyrie Irving on the Dan Patrick Show

Kyle Singler joined ESPN Radio with Scott Van Pelt to discuss coming back for his senior season, how he has zero regrets about his decisions and more importantly won’t later in life, how he and fellow senior Nolan Smith talked about repeating as national champs, playing for Coach K, what it was like to get Irving back from injury for the title defense run, and how taxing it is to play through a season with the target on their backs as defending champs.

Given that he could have opted to enter the NBA Draft, what has his senior year been like?:

“It’s been great. My experience at Duke has been kind of everything that I expected. … I did have the option to leave and do something else, but I really wanted to come back and do things that I probably would’ve regretted if I left.”

Has he made sure to soak Senior Night and final memories in?:

“Yeah, those are the moments I did want to experience, the reasons why I came back to school. I felt that, just being a part of Duke, I just really wanted to experience Senior Night, experience my last games, my last moments.”

Have he and Nolan Smith spoken about leaving as back-to-back champions?:

“Of course. Whenever we take the court as a team, our main objective is to win a basketball game. Now that we’re in the tournament, I think we’re in a good spot as a team. We’re playing well. I think winning championships really marks you as a basketball player and just as a sports person. I think we have the team to win another championship.”

Is there a moment or story with Coach K that we might not know but will stick with him?:

“There’s definitely a lot of instances where coaches taught me things, but I think the one thing that I’ve learned from him is Coach prepares for each game like it’s a national championship game. Just his work ethic and the way he prepares for games is something I really respect of him.”

What was it like to get Kyrie Irving back this late in the season?:

“It’s really not that difficult because Kyrie was with us in the beginning of the season and he went through the preseason with us. … Roles, they’re not getting changed much, but with a player like Kyrie and the things that he can do on the basketball court … he’s not going to hurt our team. He’s only going to help.”

How much energy does it take to go through a season where the bull’s-eye is on the back due to being the defending champ?:

“It definitely takes a lot of energy, takes a lot of focus. It kind of just shows Coach’s level of leadership and just his preparation that he makes us understand the value of each game. … I’ve kind of grown up with that my whole life. … I think it’s something our guys are used to.”

Listen to Kyle Singler on ESPN Radio here (Interview starts at 34:00)