Duke basketball captain returning to Blue Devils in surprise announcement
Duke picked up a surprise returnee on Thursday.
No, it’s not Cooper Flagg or Kon Knueppel or Khaman Maluach.
Rather, it’s a new assistant coach for Jon Scheyer, one who has been away from the program for a decade.
Multiple reports indicate that Tyler Thornton will take over a spot on Duke’s bench.
Thornton graduated from Duke in 2014 after being a captain on the hardwood.
He was a crucial member of the 2013 Elite Eight team as a playmaking guard who shot 39 percent from beyond the arc.
Thornton has most recently been an assistant at Howard University for four seasons. The Bison are led by Duke alum Kenny Blankeney.
He’s expected to replace Will Avery, who has been with Duke since July 2023.
It’s been quite the offseason of change for Duke simply because of all the players leaving for the NBA, along with a handful of positive and negatives swings in recruiting.
But Blue Devils fans will be happy to see an old face returning to town, and hopefully that helps vibes heading into what is another promising season ahead.
