Vincent Price may have declared there was none better to carry on Coach K’s legacy than Jon Scheyer, but the weight of it was nowhere easier sounding. 42 seasons, 5 championships, and nearly 1,200 wins. In Kevin White’s words, “Mike Krzyzewski’s departure would be dramatic if not absolutely impossible to replace.” But 3 years in, here we are. One could hardly doubt it to be as seamless a transition as any. If you ask Scheyer, the trick was to come to one realization and maybe some research. 

A former Duke captain, a national champion, and an assistant under Krzyzewski, Scheyer had spent years preparing for the moment that came his way in 2022. When it arrived, he made clear he wasn’t going to be taking it for granted. And in rising to the role, Scheyer admits he had plenty help from his predecessor. But he had to be clear about one thing first — authenticity. 

After Duke’s dominant win over Alabama in the Elite Eight, Scheyer was asked the inevitable question on the Dan Patrick Show. What is it like following a legend? “You know what Dan, I did more research on succession than you can imagine,” the Duke HC began. Sports, business, he covered it all to understand why others weren’t as successful. “The first thing I found was to be really connected with the former coach,” he adds. 

Scheyer was an associate coach under the Hall-of-Famer for 3 years before he took on the reins. Even prior to that, a championship-winning player. The now-HC had a tough few things to learn during both the roles, be it coming off the bench after being a regular starter, shifting to point guard position on the say, or getting into the recruiting game years later. So, Krzyzewski attested, “Duke could not be in better hands moving forward,” when he left. And in ensuring, he remained in constant contact with Scheyer, discussing what needed work. That hasn’t wavered yet, meaning that’s one box ticked. But that’s as far as he is taking the connection.

“But then, you are not gonna win if you are somebody else. So I had to come in terms very quickly with, ‘I am not Coach K. I am not gonna try to be him. I am not gonna try to coach like him. I am gonna be myself wherever that takes us,'” Scheyer asserted.

Coach K had to figure out his own winning formula when he arrived back in 1980. The program was struggling. But he quickly turned things around by recruiting star players like Johnny Dawkins and Mark Alarie. Soon enough, Duke made its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1984 and began a long run of success.

In discovering his ways, Scheyer has proven he belongs. In his very first year, he led the Blue Devils to a 27-9 record, won the ACC Tournament title, and became the first coach in ACC history to post an undefeated home record in a debut season. Now, he has two conference title, 3 straight tourney appearances, and a Final Four berth. 

Moreover, he’s recruited at an elite level, securing commitments from top prospects like Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel. Unlike Coach K’s fiery persona, Scheyer has a more relaxed approach. But his results speak for themselves. As assistant coach Chris Carrawell put it: “It’s definitely different, not seeing [Krzyzewski] around as much,” and added, “but Jon has done an excellent job of trying to carve out his thing.”

Scheyer has made it look easy. Duke hasn’t skipped a beat. The program remains a title contender, proving that while replacing Coach K was once seen as “impossible,” Jon Scheyer is making it possible—on his own terms.

Jon Scheyer lays emphasis on recruiting

When Jon Scheyer took over for Coach K, some doubted whether he could sustain Duke’s dominance. Two years later, with back-to-back No. 1 recruiting classes and a roster built for a deep March run, he’s proven he’s got a formula for success. 

It started with recruiting. Before he even officially took over, Scheyer got a tip from Brian Scalabrine about a 14-year-old kid from Maine—Cooper Flagg. A future Duke star from Maine? Seemed unlikely. Until Scheyer saw him play. That connection helped land the No. 1 player in the country. But talent alone doesn’t win championships.

After last season’s Elite Eight loss, Duke’s roster was gutted. Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain went to the NBA. Five players hit the portal. Only Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster returned. That could’ve spelled disaster. Instead, it was an opportunity.

Scheyer and his staff responded by landing top freshmen like Knueppel and Khaman Maluach while adding battle-tested veterans like Tulane’s Sion James, Virginia’s Maliq Brown, and Purdue’s Mason Gillis. “The challenge is trying to find some level of continuity, which I think still can be done in a different way,” Scheyer said.

He knows the game has changed. “The biggest difference is now you have to build your team year to year,” he explained. Duke isn’t following a cookie-cutter plan. “We do it our own way, and that’s what I’m proud of.” And that way is working—this Duke squad might be the best since the 2015 title team.