Duke basketball’s top 10 shooters of the past decade

Top 10 Duke basketball shooters of the past decade: No. 1 Jon Scheyer

Another current coach is on the list. When I first started putting this list together, there was no doubt in my mind that Jon Scheyer would be No. 1. When I think about the great pure shooters who wore a Duke jersey, Scheyer is one of the first guys I think of. He was not only a reliable shooter with near-perfect form, but he also had so many big shots throughout the course of his career.

Scheyer’s senior season by itself was enough for him to be No. 1 on this list. His consistent and timely shooting was a huge reason why Duke had so much success in the 2009-10 season. Scheyer averaged over 18 points per game, shot nearly 40 percent from the field, and connected on a total of 110 threes.

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He was undoubtedly the best shooter in the ACC that season. He led the conference in made 3-pointers and in 3-point percentage. Scheyer had masterful footwork and was extremely adept at using ball fakes, also thriving on creating angles and using his high release to get his shot off. He wasn’t the most athletic player. But he was very creative. He could hit off-balance shots and finish through contact. That is because his footwork and release point were so consistent.

I could write pages about all of Scheyer’s incredible performances during his senior season. His most efficient performance came against Garnder-Webb, where he scored 36 points and hit seven of his nine attempts from three. He also dropped 31 on Iowa State while shooting nearly 53 percent from the field that game.

Clutch would also be another word to describe Jon Scheyer. He made countless clutch shots his senior year. He hit two big threes down the stretch to take down UNC on the road, he hit the game-sealing shot to secure the ACC Tournament title versus Georgia Tech, and he hit big shots in the NCAA Tournament, specifically in the Sweet 16 against Purdue and in the Elite Eight against Baylor.

Few Duke basketball players were more deserving of a national championship than Jon Scheyer. He was a consistent, reliable, and efficient shooter who always played hard. With all of the success that Duke basketball has had over the last 10 years, no player has been able to shoot the ball quite like Jon Scheyer.

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