Jon Scheyer reveals who he looked up to as a younger player

Jon Scheyer is currently leading one of the top programs in college basketball at Duke. However, long before that, he was an up-and-coming basketball player looking up to several different basketball stars at various different levels.

Scheyer recently joined Jay Bilas on The Brotherhood podcast and revealed who he looked up to as a younger player. Since he grew up in Illinois, it’s no surprise that Michael Jordan was one of his idols.

“Well, one from a professional level was Michael Jordan. As a kid watching the Bulls, every single day – every single game. I wouldn’t miss a game, right? Shooting fadeaways like him in my driveway,” Jon Scheyer recalled.

As he got older, Scheyer started looking up to a local high school basketball star who also went on to get into the coaching profession in Matt Lottich.

Lottich is currently on staff at Missouri working as a special assistant to the head coach.

“Matt played at New Trier, local area – biggest competitor, big-time competitor. And I was in junior high going to his games in high school. And he was the first guy for me in the area just to, wherever he played, he could go to any part of Chicago, was respected because of how he competed,” Scheyer said. “He ended up going to Stanford and we’re close friends to this day.”

Before Jon Scheyer got into coaching, he starred at Duke under Mike Krzyzewski. It’s no surprise that Scheyer also looked up to a former Blue Devils player in JJ Redick.

“As I got further along and watching Duke, it’s hard not to watch JJ, and I love what he did. And I always felt we were different players. But just his competitiveness and what he was all about,” Scheyer said. “He hosted me on my visit to Duke, which I wish they would’ve had somebody else hosting me. He wasn’t the nicest at that time. But I think we’ve all been there in different moments. But JJ was my guy, still is, and I always looked up to him.”

Scheyer is heading into his third season leading the Blue Devils program. He has compiled a record of 54-18 across two seasons, and he led Duke to the Elite 8 this past season.

Scheyer won a national title with Duke as a player under Mike Krzyzewski. He is now working to lead the Blue Devils to a national title as a head coach.