WHEN COACHES AGREE: The Powerful Moment That United Duke’s Jon Scheyer and Auburn’s Bruce Pearl
Sometimes, one emotional moment speaks louder than any trophy.
When Duke head coach Jon Scheyer choked up reflecting on Tyrese Proctor’s gritty journey—from reclassification to redemption—it didn’t just inspire his own locker room. It caught the attention of Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, who couldn’t help but share the message with his own program. What followed was a powerful show of mutual respect between two powerhouse coaches—and a reminder that the road to greatness is rarely smooth, but always worth it.
Bruce Pearl couldn’t help but show some love for Duke head coach Jon Scheyer after an emotional video made the rounds on social media. The Auburn head coach reshared a clip of Scheyer speaking about Tyrese Proctor’s journey at Duke, and used it to highlight a lesson for his own program.
“Proud of Jon here!” Pearl wrote. “We were at the NBA Summer League and watched Tyrese demonstrate the rewards of being ready rather than just being drafted. Auburn basketball had 6 guys here, 5 with degrees and all with championships. They were all prepared and ready for what’s next as AuburnMen.”
The video in question featured Scheyer getting choked up as he reflected on Proctor’s decision to reclassify and join Duke early in 2022, and his up-and-down path since.
“I took over [at Duke] in April,” Scheyer said. “Tyrese and I had a call on May 31st about coming a year early. We knew there’d be some rough patches.”
And there were. Proctor struggled at times during his freshman year but flashed serious potential. Despite being draft-eligible, he chose to return. Scheyer praised Proctor and his family for valuing readiness over status.
“He doubles down, comes back to huge expectations… his sophomore year didn’t go the way we wanted,” Scheyer admitted. “But instead of making excuses, he stayed. That’s special.”
That decision paid off in a big way during March Madness, when Proctor erupted for 25 points, hitting seven threes in a dominant win over Baylor. For Scheyer, it was a powerful full-circle moment.
“If I’m an NBA team, I’m going after him,” he said. “You have to handle adversity.”
Proctor was selected in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, one of five players selected from Duke.
Pearl saw that message and made sure to point out how it mirrors what Auburn is trying to build. After a strong regular season in 2024–25, Auburn’s early tournament exit left a sour taste. But with players earning degrees, building winning habits, and now preparing for the next level, Pearl is proud of the foundation.
Scheyer’s emotional message served as a reminder: the path to success isn’t always linear. And for Pearl, it’s also a blueprint for turning short-term setbacks into long-term wins.
