Report: Nate James to Be Hired As Austin Peay Coach
Duke could have a vacancy on Mike Krzyzewski’s coaching staff. According to multiple media reports, former Blue Devil player and longtime assistant Nate James will be hired as head coach of Austin Peay.
James is the longest-tenured member of Duke’s current staff. He joined the program as a strength and conditioning coach in 2008 and was promoted to assistant coach the following season, replacing Johnny Dawkins, who left to take the job as Stanford’s head coach. He took over as Associate Head Coach after Jeff Capel left for Pitt three years ago.
Duke has won two national championships with James on the staff—in 2010 and 2015—and James also won one as a Blue Devils player, in 2001.
James replace Austin Peay coach Matt Figger, who resigned in March following a 14-10 season to take another job. Peay athletic director Gerald Harrison left Duke to take the job after 10 years in various roles for Blue Devil athletics.
The news comes just a day after the Duke staff avoided another loss. DePaul hired Tony Stubblefield as head coach, after Duke assistant Jon Scheyer was a finalist for the job.
The top two choices to replace James on the staff are with Nolan Smith, a former Blue Devil player and teammate of Scheyer on the 2010 national champions. Smith has been the team’s director of operations and player development since 2018. Steve Wojciechowski, who was a Coach K assistant from 1999 to 2014, is also available after being fired as head coach of Marquette earlier in the offseason.
