One-on-One with Duke head coach Jon Scheyer

Jon Scheyer is entering Year One as the head coach of Duke men’s basketball. It’s been 42 years since there was a new head coach in Durham.

I was able to sit down with him to learn more about Duke, recruiting, and more.

Here is our conversation.

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On3’s Joe Tipton: Why did you choose to come to Duke as a player?

Jon Scheyer: “I chose Duke because I loved it when I visited, but also the more that people told me that I wouldn’t be good enough to go to Duke, the more it made me want to go there. I came here on a visit and JJ Redick had 38. Second game I came to, he had 40. And then I said ‘alright, this is the spot for me.'”

Tipton: So if a recruit is considering coming to Duke, why should they? What makes it such a special place?

Scheyer: “Well, I think we have a strong belief in what a Duke player looks like and there’s a reason we’ve had great success through the years as a team, but also with guys who have left here to pursue professional ambition, and really any ambition really they had beyond the game of basketball as well.

“It’s where you can maximize what you do. That’s our thing. Hopefully you saw when you were watching us practice that we push our guys. They’re in a position they can really develop and grow up as young men and obviously grow up as players as well.”

Tipton: What do you look for in a player while on the recruiting trail, other than just their basketball ability?

Scheyer: “Well, for one, you have to have a certain level of talent. So as good of a guy as you are, no offense, we won’t be recruiting you. Hopefully you know that (laughs).

“And we won’t be recruiting Jamie (Shaw) either. There’s no way he could play (laughs).

“But for us, besides the talent, the character piece is big. Character can be taken a lot of different ways. But, are you good with people? Do you listen to your mom? Do you listen to your dad? Are you coachable? All those things matter. You don’t come to Duke just for the basketball teams. You have to be a good student. I think the most important thing, honestly, we look for guys that love it and we look for guys that are winners. Those two things. If you check those boxes, you’re going to be on our radar for sure.”

Tipton: What’s your favorite part about recruiting and what’s your least favorite?

Scheyer: “My favorite part is getting to know people’s stories. For a lot of the guys that we recruit, they’ve had to go through a lot of adversity just to get to this point, let alone by the time they leave us. So learning about people’s stories and how they got there and learning by their family for me is the best part in building trusting relationships. It’s hard to say the worst part.”

Tipton: How have you seen things change in recruiting with NIL and the transfer portal?

Scheyer: “The recruiting process isn’t necessarily as long, right? For us, we’ve always been later in the process. But I think now, whether it be a transfer or you see even in high school, things are happening somewhat later. But, a big change has been five official visits for juniors.

“So you get, a lot of juniors that are committing early. I’m talking out both sides of my mouth here, but it’s both. You get some that are really fast and then some where it happens early. We’ve had that happen past couple of years. So it’s both ways and just being able to adapt a year from now. We’ll see what it’s like then.”

Tipton: So I grew up in the state of Alabama, so I know all about the Auburn – Alabama football rivalry. But the Duke – Carolina rivalry is something entirely different. How would you describe it to someone like me who hasn’t experienced it firsthand?

Scheyer: “To me it’s the only rivalry where you can go to lunch on the day of the game and the person that’s, let’s say you go to order a sandwich and the person that’s helping you is a Carolina fan. Or vice versa for them. We’re right on top of each other. So you have two, incredibly passionate fan bases, and two really successful programs.

“And to cap it off, you’re right on top of each other. And to me that’s what makes it so special. You’re in each other’s face, for better or worse.”

Tipton: Would Jon Scheyer, the head coach at Duke now, recruit Jon Scheyer as a senior in high school?

Scheyer: I think I would recruit myself as a player. If I didn’t feel confident about that, then I don’t know what I would be doing. I would’ve fit in really well with other guys, and I would’ve been a multi-year player. Let’s see, whatever I was asking him to do, whatever I was asking me to do, I would do (laughs).

Tipton: Would Jon Scheyer in his prime start on this team?

Scheyer: I don’t know that I would. Honestly, our teams have been more talented in the last few years than it’s been when I was here (as a player). I don’t think that I would start.