Duke Basketball Champ Ready to Coach Son's Prep Team

Chris Duhon, who as only a freshman was a vital member of an electrifying Duke basketball backcourt that helped guide the Blue Devils to the program's third of now-five national titles in 2001, is now entering his first year as a head coach at any level.

He's doing so at Gaston Christian School in Gastonia, N.C. And he'll be coaching his oldest son, Jeremy Duhon, a promising young guard and 3-point marksman entering his first year of prep school.

BTB 2027 Select with a close win over Team Work 2027 64-59. Jeremy Duhon shot very well with 18 pts (4 threes, left). Aiden Rochevot played great adding 16 pts. #NEXTGENJAM pic.twitter.com/kttw8h7fan
— HoopSeen NEXT (@HoopSeenNEXT) June 10, 2023

"He's actually in the toughest position just because of being the coach's son," the 40-year-old Chris Duhon explained to WRAL's Mark Bergin this week, "he has...to go above and beyond to kind of prove himself to give him an opportunity to play."

But apparently, it's precisely what his son wanted.

"He was like, 'Dad, I want you to coach me. That would be awesome,'" Duhon recounted to Bergin. "It's kind of like, alright, you've got to be careful what you wish for...I already told him you can't be calling me 'dad' on the court. That's going to make everyone run."

Gaston Christian finished 23-10 last season. And the school welcomes back several players from that squad, including 6-foot-11 center Makoi Mabor Marier, No. 16 overall among 2024 prospects in the state, per Phenom Hoop Report's recently updated rankings.

So it's far from a rebuilding effort facing Duhon.

Following a four-year Duke basketball career, including a national title and another Final Four trip as a senior on his way to becoming the program's all-time steals leader (300) and second in wins (123) behind only Shane Battier (131), the slick guard from Slidell, La., went No. 38 overall to the Chicago Bulls at the NBA Draft.

Stay poised. Push the ball. Hit the buzzer-beater. That's Duke Basketball.

🎥🔵👿 Chris Duhon's game-winner at Wake in 2001 🎯 pic.twitter.com/xPdStYQVG2
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) January 23, 2018

Duhon played for four teams across nine years in the league, only once averaging double-digit points but never playing fewer than 45 games in a season.

Then he spent three years as an assistant coach at Marshall, one season at Illinois State, and most recently as the director of scouting and video analysis at Bryant.

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