Now in his 40th year at Duke, men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski has an impressive list of accomplishments to his name. After picking up his 1000th career win last Sunday against St. Johns, Krzyzewski said in a story published by the Charlotte Observer he is motivated most by losing — a sentiment Tom Izzo agrees with.

Izzo, who sent Krzyzewski a congratulatory text last Friday before he completed the milestone, reflected on Krzyzewski’s career during his weekly press conference Monday.

“It’s just an unbelievable accomplishment,” Izzo said. “To do it at the same place and set that kind of standard of excellence for that long is incredible.”

Izzo, who is in his 20th season and has 519 career wins, said it’s natural to fear losing later in one’s career.

“You fear being fired, you fear losing,” Izzo said. “Those things are what drive you. And I think that’s what drives Mike. Yeah, the wins are never as good. That’s just the way it works.

“It’s not a bad thing but I had an interesting moment listening to him say that too. Because you start asking yourself, ‘Is that the way I am?’ And then you say ‘I hope so, because it’s worked pretty well for him.’”

Krzyzewski and Izzo have faced each other nine times, with Krzyzewski winning eight of them. Most recently, then-No. 4 Duke eliminated then-No. 19 MSU 81-71 from the Champions Classic Nov. 18.

Izzo recounted one of his favorite Krzyzewski stories, which took place after the Duke coach lost to Virginia by 44 points in the 1983 ACC Tournament.

“He went to a Denny’s and this guy raised a glass and said ‘Here’s to forgetting tonight.’ And he raised a glass and said ‘No, put that down. Here’s to never forgetting tonight.’ And I think that’s the way it is,” Izzo said.

“The losses hurt more, but the losses you learn more from.”