Jon Scheyer praises growth of Dereck Lively

It has been an up-and-down first season for Jon Scheyer at Duke. However, throughout the season, he and the Blue Devils both showed improvement as they enter the NCAA Tournament on a major hot streak.

One player who has grown a ton this season is Dereck Lively, who Scheyer praised.

“Derek and I’ve had some heart-to-hearts through the season,” Jon Scheyer told ESPN. “And he is as coachable as any freshman, or any player, that I’ve ever coached in 10 years. I mean, he wants it all. He looks right back at you every time and tells you he’s got you.”

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“And I love the fact for him, he had to figure out how to be successful in college. It’s just a very different game. And I think it’s the hardest transition of any position, I think, for a big guy to come into college and figure that out is a huge adjustment.”

Dereck Lively was a five-star recruit in the Class of 2022. He was also the top-ranked center and player in the country, according to the On3 Industry Rankings.

“He’s had his morning routine, every single day for about six weeks now with Emile Jefferson, again, their offensive vitamins, defensive vitamins, and he’s been as impactful, really, as a defensive player in the country, in my opinion, with his presence on the court. Even when he’s not blocking shots, just by being out there.”

Jon Scheyer on Duke’s NCAA Tournament draw

Following the announcement that Duke is a five seed and will play Oral Roberts in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Jon Scheyer gave his opinion on Duke’s draw.

“Well, first of all, it’s an exciting time no matter what, no matter what seed you are, no matter where you’re going,” Scheyer said.

“And so, for us, you know, we felt there’s a possibility we could go to Orlando, whatever seed that was going to be. So, for us, we’re excited. It’s an amazing opportunity. You never take this day for granted. And we’re ready to go and we’ll pack our bags and we’re excited to be there on Tuesday and get ready for our game on Thursday.”