Two words seem a preposterous start. Two words, French at that, to begin unveiling basketball’s most famous active coach, a hard-boiled, military-trained CEO addicted to the privileges, rewards and burdens of leadership.

Noblesse oblige. Nobility obliges.

A priest turns the phrase regarding Mike Krzyzewski, and the theme echoes from former players, a business-school professor and in the experience of a visiting cancer patient.

Indeed, Krzyzewski himself voices the sentiment as he reflects on his 30 seasons at Duke and explains why, at age 63 and with every accolade possible, he maintains a withering pace that continues at this week’s ACC tournament, where his Blue Devils are the top seeds.

“It’s one of the reasons I keep coaching,” Krzyzewski says, “because … I love to be able to have an influence, a positive influence. And I don’t care if anyone knows about it.

“That’s ours. We don’t need a banner or anything like that. What we need to do is feel good about what we’re doing. And feel good about who we are as people. And because we’ve been blessed with a lot, you can’t forget that you’re no different than anyone.

“And I really believe that. Everybody’s the same. I’m the lucky guy. I’m the Coach K guy … and I truly believe that as a result, you need to do something with your luck.”

Krzyzewski’s basketball impact — 12 ACC regular-season titles, 11 conference tournament championships, 10 Final Fours, three national titles, 2001 Hall of Fame induction and 2008 and 2012 Olympics coach — has been well-chronicled.

But while he treasures the accomplishments, and those he guided in the process, Krzyzewski wants more, far more, away from the court.

He aims to enhance the educations of impoverished youth and influence curricula for graduate students. He has an insatiable appetite for raising money to research cancer and a soft spot for the many less fortunate who reach out to him.

“He’s a giver,” says Father David McBriar of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Raleigh, N.C. “That’s what I detected in him, someone who knew he was privileged both in his talent and his own assets.”

McBriar used to serve at Krzyzewski’s parish in downtown Durham, Immaculate Conception. And it was there, more than 10 years ago, that McBriar envisioned a community center for the area’s underprivileged children.

The first person he approached was Krzyzewski, a regular at 7 a.m. Sunday Mass.

“He was excited by the idea,” McBriar says, “because it was precisely the kind of place that he grew up in in Chicago, and he thought, ‘Gee, maybe we can do better than that.’

“His vision was big, bigger than mine was, because I knew that I could never raise $7 million to put up this kind of facility, to staff it, to provide the indirect costs. He said, ‘We’ll get it done.’”

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Needless to say the guy then says to me, “look! there, he is right now.” I glanced across the area, (we were around back of the building) and there was a white buick coming through all the mud puddles rather quickly, it stops about 20 feet from me and sure enough out gets Coach K! He had on white shorts, a white nike shirt and white nike shoes. He starts stretching exercises against the back of his car, I couldn’t believe my eyes, I live in Goldsboro and have never seen anyone famous! (I have been a 20 yr Duke fan) I said to him”Coach K” and he looked at me, then I said “how are ya?” AND HE ACTUALLY TOOK THE TIME TO SAY, “fine and how are you?” I was lost for words, I do not even remember what if anything I said in response!!!!!!!! But I just could not believe he actually spoke directly to me, i will never forget it.

It was probably no big deal to most people, but it sure was to me! I just think he is a role model, and a really down to earth honest man. You can also tell by his sportsmanship after games when he usually pats the opposing coaches and players (win or lose) on the chest with his left hand while he shakes their hand with his right. What a guy!

Thanks, Dennis

I have watched and participated in fund raising events with him that showed his commitment to Durham and the whole Triangle area. He gives back to our community; whether it is for the Duke Children Hospital, or helping raise funds to fight cancer for Coach V or building a gym for a local church that was dedicated to his mother’s memory. He has had numerous opportunities to leave Durham, but he and Micky have raised a wonderful family that are now grown up and following in his footsteps of giving back.

Congrats Coach on 1,000 games at Duke and for all that you have given us to cheer about over the years! I recognize and greatly appreciate your contributions to our local community and know that this has been just as important to you and your family, as your great contributions you have given to the many basketball teams you’ve led over the years. Thanks and congratulations Coach, you earned it!

I can remember going up there and seeing the Wolfpack design on the halls of DUKE. My father loved Bobby Hurley and so did my 16 year old brother at the time Greg. My father and Greg would be so excited when Coach K and the team would get through early or come on the floor to visit and sign autographs,etc. Little did I know that 11 years later at 38, I would be diagnosed with Breast Cancer and find it early and be a survivor.

I think back to some of the saddest times of my life in those hallways. My father died there. But I also saw strength in people that I had never in my life seen before. I saw people working around the clock to try and save my fathers life and countless others like him. I also learned so much about cancer that I truely think out of something bad something good came out of it.

I would like to thank Coach K for trying to find a cure and rescerch with the Jimmy V foundation and for making some of the worst days of my fathers life memorable and happy for all of us. My father often told me that he could not be bitter about dying or the reascearch they were doing on him to try and find cures and that someday the rescearch done on him and so many others would lead to a cure. I relay for the past 4 years now a survivor. And thank you Coach K for being a wonderful person who cares about others.

Michelle

I graduated from college with a degree in business marketing from the University of Texas in San Antonio and went to work for my uncles insurance business full time, where I had been an intern the previous four years part time as a student. Following my heart, and it was a very tough decision, I talked to my uncle about my desire to coach basketball like I always wanted, and addressed to him that I was going to get my teaching certification. I wanted to go back to Charlotte a class A school with a population of about 1500, south of San Antonio and coach the boys basketball program.

Everyday, I wake up and read your quote that says “When you are passionate, you always have your destination in sight and you are not distracted by obstacles. Because you love what you are pursuing, things like rejection and setbacks will not hinder you in your pursuit. You believe that nothing can stop you!”

Listening to your interview with Coach Knight discussing how Duke has been a program that always felt like home, it has instilled even more fire to pursue coaching. Thanks Coach K, you are an inspiration for people who want to be a positive influence on other people’s lives.

Well I grew up loving sports, especially basketball. I don’t have a lot of talent but know the game. I picked out Duke because I admire Coach K’s coaching style. He’s a teacher, not a show off. He displays respect to his players and opponents.

When I heard the story about the pin he wears to support his friend and the memory of his son, it was so touching. It’s awesome to see how someone of such caliber and national popularity is genuine, sincere, caring and willing to help others.

I wear a red Multiple Sclerosis band on my wrist. I have worn it for 10 years since my cousin was diagnosed with MS. I have used Coach K as a role model and mentor to keep fighting and not give up hope there will be a cure or at least a medication that will keep MS at bay. My cousin knows how much I love to watch Duke and Coach K. She is currently on her last option of medication but she is always thinking of others and doesn’t let her MS rule her. She is taking me to the ACC tourney next week so that I can see Duke and Coach K in person.

Coach K has also been a tireless leader in the fight against cancer. He has been an honorary and charter Member of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer since its founding in 2001, when former President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to “do something bold and venturesome about cancer.”

When Coach K takes to the court that bears his name in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, he will also be wearing a gold pin on his right lapel as a very personal, public display of his commitment to the fight against cancer. At a meeting of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer in September, 2009, Coach K pledged to wear a pin representing the organization’s CEO Cancer Gold Standard accreditation program. The program recognizes the commitment of organizations that take concrete actions to reduce the cancer risk of employees and their families. Coach K has worn his Gold Standard pin at every game since.

“We are pleased to recognize Coach K for reaching this milestone and to thank him for his inspiration to all of us who are united in the fight against cancer,” said William C. Weldon, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson & Johnson and chair of the CEO Roundtable on Cancer. “In terms of inspiring leadership, Mike Krzyzewski truly sets the gold standard.”

The CEO Roundtable on Cancer is a nonprofit organization of cancer-fighting CEOs who created the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, many of its designated cancer centers, and leading health non-profit organizations and professionals. Today, more than one million employees and family members are benefiting from the vision and leadership of employers who have chosen to become Gold Standard accredited.

To earn Gold Standard accreditation, a company must establish programs to reduce cancer risk by discouraging tobacco use; encouraging physical activity; promoting healthy diet and nutrition; detecting cancer at its earliest stages; and providing access to quality care, including participation in clinical trials. Organizations joining Coach K in championing this workplace-based effort to eliminate cancer as a public health threat include:

Aetna (NYSE: AET), Aldagen, the American Cancer Society’s National Home Office and Mid-
South Division, the American Legacy Foundation, the American Society of Clincial Oncology, Aptuit, AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN), C-Change, CIGNA (NYSE: CI), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Duke Medicine, Edelman, Enzon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ENZN), Fox Chase Cancer Center, GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK), Hogan & Hartson, Independence Blue Cross, Jenner & Block, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), The Lance Armstrong Foundation, LiDestri Foods, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, MDU Resources (NYSE: MDU), Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company, Meridian Health, Minot State University, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, The National Cancer Institute, The Nevada Cancer Institute, Novartis (NYSE: NVS), The Oncology Nursing Society, OSI Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSIP), Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), PhRMA, PPD (NASDAQ: PPDI), Pride, Inc., Quintiles Transnational, sanofi-aventis (NYSE: SNY), SAS Institute, Saint Barnabas Health Care System, State Farm, The University of North Dakota, US Oncology, Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX), Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Virtua Health, WCA Hospital, The Wistar Institute.

For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ and the web-based accreditation process and support, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org