Jon Scheyer Named Next Head Coach of Duke Basketball
Duke assistant Jon Scheyer will replace Nine Krzyzewski as head coach following the 2021-22 season, according to multiple reports. Scheyer will be the 20th head coach in Duke basketball history. Scheyer has been an assistant at Duke since 2014, and the associate head coach since 2018. He played for the Blue Devils from 2006 to 2010. The news comes hours after reports that Krzyzewski will retire after the upcoming season.
Krzyzewski is NCAA men’s basketball’s all-time leader in wins with 1,170. He has 97 NCAA Tournament wins, 12 Final Fours and five National Championships. Coach K also has won 12 ACC Championships. He took over the Duke program in 1980 after six years as the Army head coach and two years as an assistant with Indiana. Krzyzewski was a three time Naismith College Coach of the Year, one time NABC Coach of the Year, one time Clair Bee Coach of the Year, one time UPI Coach of the Year and five time ACC Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 and College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
The news comes two months after North Carolina head coach Roy Williams surprisingly retired.
Coach K is the second longest tenured head coach in college basketball, behind good friend Jim Boeheim of Syracuse. The two coached with USA Basketball together and are very close off the court. Since Syracuse joined the ACC, the rivalry between the two programs has produced some memorable games. Including sell out crowds in the Carrier Dome, buzzer beating moments, and even an NCAA Tournament matchup.
Duke and Syracuse have also battled on the recruiting trail. Both offered Joe Girard, who is currently on the Orange. Duke landed Jordan Tucker, who ultimately transferred out, over Syracuse. Transfer Patrick Tape also picked Duke over Syracuse. The two programs are currently both pursuing 2022 forward Kyle Filipowski, who has official visits scheduled to both this month.
Coach K is one of the all-time greats and in the discussion for the greatest of all time. It will be interesting to see how Duke adjusts after he retires, both on the court and on the recruiting trail.
From the SI Vault:
- From 2011 — Sportsman of the Year: Mike Krzyzewski/Sportswoman of the Year: Pat Summitt
- From 1992 — Blue Angel: Coach K's Divine Spirit and Working-Class Ethics Have Forged an Exemplary Program
- From 2005 — The Duke Way: A Fabulous Freshman Class has the Blue Devils Ranked No. 1, But Those Frosh Are in for Vigorous Training in Coach K Culture
