Duke basketball: Jon Scheyer reflects on first season as head coach

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer reflected on his first season as head coach. 

The first season under head coach Jon Scheyer was undoubtedly a success for the Duke basketball program.

Despite being bounced in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament, Scheyer led the often injured Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament Championship and played their best basketball of the season in the final month of the year.

Following the team banquet last week, Scheyer took to Instagram to reflect on the season.

“I will never forget year #1,” Scheyer wrote.

“I am so grateful for these guys and everything they gave to this program this year. They embodied everything that Duke is about.”

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Duke saw injuries to begin the season to 5-star freshmen Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively II after Whitehead suffered a broken foot, which required surgery, in August and Lively had been dealing with a calf strain in the preseason.

Junior captain Jeremy Roach also suffered a toe injury in the first month of the season that lingered into January that forced the point guard to miss extended time while Whitehead continued to battle more lower leg injuries throughout the season.

“I can’t put into words how meaningful this experience has been,” Scheyer continued.

“BROTHERHOOD FOREVER.”

Duke won its last nine games entering the NCAA Tournament and swept North Carolina in the first year under the direction on the 35-year old, which helped keep the Tar Heels out of March Madness as the program became the first ever preseason No. 1 team to miss the NCAA Tournament.

Duke basketball keeping familiar faces around for next season

The second season under Jon Scheyer could look very similar to the first in terms of roster retention.

Freshmen Tyrese Proctor, Mark Mitchell, and Kyle Filipowski announced they are returning to the program for at least another season while Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively II entered the 2023 NBA Draft.

ALSO READ: Mark Mitchell explains decision to return to Blue Devils

Jeremy Roach also entered the draft but is maintaining his college eligibility and has until May 31 at 11:59p.m. ET to make his final decision.

Duke has not lost a player to the transfer portal yet this offseason although it did lose a commitment from its top ranked high school prospect, Mackenzie Mgbako, after Filipowski announced his intentions to return.

The Blue Devils still bring in the No. 2 high school recruiting class in the county, headlined by 5-star prospects Sean Stewart, Jared McCain, Caleb Foster, and TJ Power.