Duke basketball: The clear choice to replace Coach K

In a quick move, the next Duke basketball head coach now appears to be set.

On Wednesday afternoon, Stadium college basketball insider Jeff Goodman reported via tweet that Duke basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski is set to retire after next season, which will be the 74-year-old’s 42nd year at the helm.

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This is a day of mourning for Dukies, especially those who have been alive long enough to see his unmatched run throughout the past four-plus decades. But immediately, one question comes to mind: Who will replace the game’s all-time wins leader and five-time national champion?

Well, Goodman initially noted in his tweet that current associate head coach Jon Scheyer would be the leading candidate for the job. That makes sense considering the 33-year-old, like Krzyzewski, hails from the Chicago area. And in Durham, he’s served as both a player and assistant under the legend, winning a national title in each role.

Also, during Coach K’s one-game absence last season, Jon Scheyer filled in to guide the Blue Devils to a win over Boston College.

So there’s that.

Other Duke basketball names unlikely to even get an interview

Granted, there are plenty of other candidates who are arguably qualified for the job.

There’s Utah Jazz head coach Quin Snyder, a Duke basketball point guard in the 80s and then assistant in the 90s who is nowadays orchestrating league-leading brilliance in the NBA. There’s Pitt head coach Jeff Capel, a Blue Devil in the 90s who went on to become a mastermind recruiter in Durham during his recent tenure as the chief assistant under Mike Krzyzewski.

Those are just a few.

ALSO READ: Blue Devils to face unrivaled pressure as Coach K is set to hang it up

Outside of the Coach K coaching tree, the name that has long stood out is former Butler and Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.

Yet in terms of continuity and the opportunity for a young man to establish himself in the position for decades to come, there’s no doubt Jon Scheyer is the perfect fit.

Now, judging from numerous reports that quickly followed Jeff Goodman’s initial shockwave, it looks as if Jon Scheyer will indeed be the Duke basketball head coach-in-waiting.

It’s certainly a wise choice for the sake of smooth transitioning (see: Duke recruiting).