It’s almost crazy to think that Jon Scheyer has done what he has at Duke over the past couple of seasons, since taking over for Coach K was no easy task.
However, in typical Duke fashion, all the program has done is win at a high level. That unfortunately hasn’t resulted in a national championship just yet, but Scheyer has done everything outside of that.
I understand that fans aren’t going to be that happy until the national championship is won, but there are also some other ways to look at things. Scheyer is right on the doorstep, and as The Athletic recently touched on, it’s a matter of when, not if, for him to win it all.
As for how this year’s team might look, there are plenty of things that have to be considered because Duke doesn’t necessarily have that young team as it has had in years past. That’s part of why John Blackwell will be such a big factor after transferring from Wisconsin.
“Jon Scheyer’s 70-7 record the past two seasons — also Duke’s most wins ever in a two-year span — solidifies the 39-year-old as one of college basketball’s most complete coaches. In four seasons at his alma mater, he’s won five combined ACC regular-season and tournament titles (including four straight), reached one Final Four and produced consecutive Wooden Award winners. Even after consecutive NCAA Tournament heartbreaks, it feels like a matter of when, not if, Scheyer will cut down the nets…
“Former Wisconsin guard John Blackwell is the best transfer Scheyer has landed and should lead Duke in scoring. But how will Scheyer build his offense around the 6-foot-4 veteran, compared with the do-it-all forwards Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer he previously relied upon? Regardless, Blackwell’s penchant for NCAA Tournament productivity should pay dividends,” Brendan Marks wrote.
I’d still go as far as to say that the biggest question Duke has to answer this season is what it is going to look like offensively with some of these veterans. I think it was a smart idea that Scheyer took a somewhat different approach this offseason by landing multiple top-end transfer portal guys.
At the same time, I recognize that college basketball is in such a weird place that nothing is guaranteed. We can all say Duke will be an elite team, but winning a national championship is still incredibly difficult.
