Jon Scheyer took over the Duke Blue Devils program after Mike Krzyzewski’s legendary 42-year run with the team. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with being the successor after someone like Coach K.
Scheyer has done well with the Blue Devils so far. He represented Duke during his collegiate run from 2006 to 2010 and joined his alma mater as an assistant in 2024. He was the assistant coach under Coach K from 2018 to 2022.
With Scheyer at the helm, the Blue Devils have been two-time ACC Tournament champions, two-time ACC regular season champions, and have been to the NCAA Division I regional champion – Final Four.
Scheyer won the ACC Coach of the Year in 2026. Overall, he has a 118-24 record with the Blue Devils and 65-13 in the conference. Many believe that he has proved to be the worthy successor after Coach K.
Interestingly, Randolph Childress believes that Duke is better in some aspects under Scheyer than it was under Coach K. During a recent appearance on The Field of 68, Childress detailed why he thinks so.
“As great as Coach K is, I think Duke defensively under Jon Scheyer has been better,” he said. “I think its been significantly better and I don’t really care what anybody else says… I’m not speaking derogatory towards Coach K at all, but if you watch Scheyer’s teams, everybody would be like, ‘Yo, they defend.’”
Childress anticipated that he might receive some pushback on this, as fans might interpret it as a dig at Coach K. He made it clear that he doesn’t mean any disrespect toward Coach K. In his opinion, Duke’s defense is just better under Scheyer.
Duke Offered Contract Extension to Jon Scheyer
Scheyer has been coaching the Blue Devils for over a decade now. From his time as a player and coaching under Coach K, he understood what the program stands for, which is one of the reasons why he’s been so successful as a head coach.
Because of his continued success, the program is investing in his long-term vision for the Blue Devils. In October last year, he signed a contract extension with Duke that will run through the 2030-31 season.
“Jon’s remarkable impact over his first three seasons has positioned Duke Basketball for sustained excellence, and we are proud to ensure his leadership well into the future,” Duke vice president Nina King said.
King praised Scheyer for building the program on “character, connection, and a relentless pursuit of greatness.” He has lived up to the expectations so far.
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