Jon Scheyer says the blueblood stars who rise at Duke tend to share more than just talent.
With his fifth season as Duke’s head coach approaching, the 39-year-old and 2010 national champion guard recently joined the Glue Guys Podcast, hosted by another Duke title winner, Shane Battier. About 20 minutes into the 55-minute episode, released Monday morning, Scheyer broke down the traits he sees in the program’s biggest difference-makers, using names like Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer as examples.
"I think there are two things that our top guys who have come through really have in common," Scheyer said. "One, I think there is a strong support system from their family and even beyond, whether it be an agent, whether it be a trainer, a close friend. There's a strong support system where [the parents] have held their son accountable to the things that matter most, like how you show up every day, how you compete, how you want to be coached...
"And the second thing - it kind of goes opposite of what you think I would say - they also have independence. Like, the kid, the athete, the person, their parents don't stymie them from being put in a position of making mistakes and having a failure. And ultimately, I don't care who you are - a Zion Williamson, Cooper Flagg, Cam Boozer - you're going to go through some tough times in your moments at Duke."
Scheyer also said the message he tries to deliver is that growth can’t wait forever, especially for players with NBA ambitions.
"We just try to paint a picture of 'you can either learn this now or you can learn this in the future when maybe it's too late at that time,'" the reigning NABC Coach of the Year, who boasts a remarkable 70-7 record over the past two seasons, explained on the podcast. "Now, we also paint a picture of how their dreams are going to become a reality...
"So, we try to paint a real picture of how we're going to help them. But end of the day, they have to have those things [in their character] to learn and to grow. And that's something we look for."
The roster Scheyer has assembled for 2026-27 looks built on that same mix of talent, depth, and development. Duke may not open the year with the sport’s top Naismith contender, but the ceiling still looks high.
In fact, this may be Scheyer’s deepest team yet since taking over for Mike Krzyzewski in 2022. The Blue Devils could even wind up using a double-digit rotation as they try to build on what Cooper Flagg’s group and Cameron Boozer’s team accomplished.
Duke also added five scholarship players in what shapes up as one of the country’s best recruiting classes, while landing former three-year Wisconsin guard John Blackwell, one of the top names in the transfer portal. The Blue Devils further strengthened the mix with another veteran transfer, Belmont forward Drew Scharnowski, an athletic presence.
On top of that, Scheyer brings back four of the top six scorers from last season: senior guard Caleb Foster, junior center Patrick Ngngoga II, sophomore wing Dame Sarr, and sophomore guard Cayden Boozer.
Duke opens its regular season at home against Army on Nov. 2.
In Other News...
Manny Diaz Has Duke Looking Like More Than An Early Surprise
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What makes the start matter is not just the record, but how quickly it has come together after the roster churn of the offseason. Duke lost key players to the Transfer Portal and still walked into September looking more complete than expected, which is a credit to the coaching staff and the way the group has adapted. Walker Eget has also become part of the offensive conversation as the Blue Devils try to turn an early surprise into something sturdier, and the next stretch will say plenty about whether this opening surge is a snapshot or the beginning of a bigger climb. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Sheppard Is Giving Duke Fans A Reason To Believe
Dukes 31-27 win over Illinois pushed the Blue Devils to 2-0 and gave the early part of the season a performance worth circling on the calendar. Nate Sheppard was at the center of it, turning in a game that forced the Illini to reckon with more than just a loss, as Duke found enough balance and burst to hang on in a tight finish.
Afterward, Illinois coach Bret Bielema pointed straight to tackling as the difference, saying his defense needed to do a better job of finishing plays. For Duke, that only adds to the intrigue around Sheppard and an offense that already has one road win and a growing sense that this start may be more than a fast opening burst. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Staying At Duke Puts One Big Thing On This Team
The coaching carousel in Dallas briefly reached into Durham before settling on Dusty May, who was hired to replace Jason Kidd after guiding Michigan to the national title. But the Mavericks search also brushed past Jon Scheyer, a reminder that the Duke coachs rise has already put him on the radar far beyond college basketball and into the NBA conversation, where his name can surface whenever a high-profile job opens.
Scheyer, though, made it clear he was staying put, and that decision matters for Duke in a way that goes beyond one offseason rumor. He has already taken the Blue Devils on multiple deep NCAA tournament runs, but the next step is still the one that lingers over the program - the pursuit of a national championship as head coach, the kind of finish that would match the expectations attached to this job from the start. [Read more 🡒]