Listen to Coach K's touching tribute to his friend Jim Valvano

Published Dec. 9, 2016 1:17 p.m. ET

Nick Schwartz

Mike Krzyzewski's Duke Blue Devils will face the Florida Gators Tuesday in Madison Square Garden at the Jimmy V Classic, the annual event launched in 1996 that honors the legacy of former N.C. State coach Jim Valvano, who died in 1993. Prior to the game, Coach K opened up about his relationship with Valvano in a moving tribute video.

"He knew that he was dying of cancer. He was in Duke hospital and we spent a few nights every week together. We had many moments.

The very best moment, I think, was when he said ‘I’m gonna die. I know I’m gonna die, but I’m gonna win.’

And I asked him ‘what do you mean?’

And he said ‘I want to beat cancer. After I die, I want - when we’ve finally beat cancer - I want to be there.”

(Thanks to FTW! for sharing this video.)