A number was at stake, not just a number but a milestone. No division one men’s college basketball coach had ever reached one thousand wins. Coach Mike Krzyzewski (also known as Coach K) had a chance to change all that January 25, 2015 against St. Johns.

Trailing by 10 midway through the second half, something shifted inside these Blue Devils. Quinn Cook hustled and hit threes. Plumlee provided a spark off the bench. Tyus Jones drained free throws. Jahlil Okafor got unnaturally feisty in the paint. When all was said and done, they’d outscored St. John’s 26-7 to close out the contest.

Coach K and the Blue Devils were able to beat St. Johns 77-68 at Madison Square Garden. The win was Coach K’s one thousandth, reaching a milestone no division one coach has reached before.

Madison Square Garden, after all, was where he notched victory number 903 against Michigan State in November 2011, breaking the Division I record previously held by his college coach and mentor, Bob Knight.

The 67-year-old Krzyzewski improved to 1,000-308 in a 40-year coaching career that began in 1975 at his alma mater, Army. He is 927-249 in 35 seasons at Duke, guiding the Blue Devils to four NCAA titles and 11 trips to the Final Four.

Coach K was already the most winning coach in college basketball before achieving one thousand wins. With all of that does that make him the best coach to ever coach division one college basketball? I think the answer to that question is really kind of a no brainer.

For division one college basketball Coach K is the best to ever coach. There are three coaches from non-division one schools to have over one thousand wins including Harry Statham, Danny Miles, and Herb Magee. Jim Boeheim is coming close to one thousand wins, he is at 963 while still coaching at Syracuse.

After the game Krzyzewski said, “I’m glad it’s over, there will be others that win more, but it is kind of neat to be the first one to 1,000. I am proud of that, too: It’s not just the number of wins, but the quality of opponents we’ve had.”

I was able to talk to Duke Fan Grant Farwick about Coach K reaching a thousand wins and he told me that it is great for not only Coach K, but it is also great for the program.

Overall, Coach K has proven he is the best college basketball coach to coach the game. Coach K has many people that hate him and Duke, but with a thousand wins I don’t think him or the program are really worried about what other people think.