Former Duke basketball player names best candidate to succeed Coach K

A Duke basketball alum noted his ideal future plus that of the Blue Devils.

Four-year Duke basketball combo guard Jordan Goldwire announced in April his decision to transfer to Oklahoma. In doing so, the All-ACC defender is utilizing the extra year of eligibility that the NCAA gifted to everyone who saw action in the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season.

And this week, the former three-star recruit out of Georgia told David Thompson of The Fayetteville Observer that he still has hopes of a professional hoops career:

“Obviously, everyone has the goal to make it to the NBA, and that goal is still in my mind as well.”

Jordan Goldwire’s top choice to become the next Duke basketball head coach

During the interview, David Thompson asked Jordan Goldwire to name his pick to replace Mike Krzyzewski if the Hall of Famer was to call it quits a year from now. First, it’s important to note here that while the 74-year-old legend has yet to divulge a retirement date, there is growing speculation that next season — his 42nd at Duke — may well be his last.

Of course, Goldwire reminded Thompson that he certainly doesn’t expect to have any input in his former program’s eventual hiring process. However, the 21-year-old overachiever, who started roughly half of the Blue Devils’ games across his junior and senior campaigns, did point to the one man he sees as most qualified to assume the reins one day:

“You know, the Duke tree is so big, and there are so many good coaches in college basketball and the NBA. But coach Jon Scheyer was at Duke the entire time I was there, and he does a great job with skill work. And he’s a really smart guy. I think he would be the one who deserves that job. I don’t make the decisions (laughs), but that would be my choice.”

Last season, the 33-year-old Scheyer, who has won a national championship as both a Duke basketball player (2010) and assistant (2015), saw his first opportunity to serve as an acting head coach.

This happened for the associate head coach when the college game’s all-time wins leader had to sit out the home battle against Boston College while quarantining (due to COVID-19 contact tracing).

Scheyer then rose to the occasion on that January night in a passionate yet calculated manner. Ultimately, the Chicago-area native — same as Coach K — confidently guided the Blue Devils to a nail-biting 83-82 victory over the Eagles.

Add that clutch performance from the bench to Scheyer’s clear recent prowess on the recruiting trail. The Duke basketball treasure is currently No. 1 on the 247Sports Recruiter Rankings for the second year in a row, and he’s finished among the top five in every cycle since 2018.

Yes, it seems Jordan Goldwire’s choice might indeed be the best candidate to follow in Coach K’s footsteps, whenever that day should arrive in Durham.