Why 19YO Tyrese Proctor’s Long Injury Doesn’t Affect Duke? What’s Jon Scheyer’s Side Missing?

The Duke Blue Devils have played three matches after they faced a huge setback in the form of their starting point guard, Tyrese Proctor’s ankle injury. However, the Devils fans finally calmed down as Coach Jon Scheyer finally gave an update on their missing piece. He said, “He’s getting closer every day!” Surprisingly, despite this setback, the Devils remain defiant, leaving many to wonder- why does Tyrese Proctor’s absence seem to have little impact on the team?

Proctor was injured in the first two minutes of the Blue Devils’ game against Georgia Tech. Since then, several analysts, fans, and pundits alike have given their perspectives on how this setback is influencing the team. 

The Duke Difference

Being a starter for the team, Proctor played a crucial role in both the offense and defense of the team. Before suffering from a disheartening injury, he averaged 10.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Since he was sidelined from the games for an indefinite time, many fans speculated that the Devils suffered a huge loss and they are up to a bad season without their guard. But their record is proving them wrong. After his injury, the Devil Boys have played three matches and they have won all of them convincingly. 

Even renewed sports analyst Jeff Goodman thinks this is a blessing in disguise for the Blue Devils. In an interview on The Field Of 68: After Dark, he said, “Tyrese Proctor was not good, he had not been very good so far. In fact, I think it’s safe to say that he had been frustrating for a lot of people to watch, probably including the Duke coaching staff because they want more of them, they expect more of them.” 

Aside from him, several renowned personalities and analysts also think that Proctor might have been the hurdle between Duke and success. And with him being out of the scene for a while, other players get a chance to showcase their skills and prove they are better fit than Proctor. Their back-to-back wins are demonstrating a team that is not missing a beat without him. 

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To put it simply, the Blue Devils might not be having such a great impact on them without Tyrese Proctor. While he is a crucial player for the team, it doesn’t mean that the Duke’s empire will be crumbling without him. Their freshmen are making the best out of this and they are definitely proving to be better. Notably, Jared McCain and Caleb Foster are the shining lights for the team. 

The Knights in shining armor

McCain and Foster have become new fan hopes. After a disappointing streak of losing two back-to-back games, these freshmen carried the responsibility of helping the team win, and they are doing just that. In a game against the Charlotte 49ers and the Baylor Bears, he was the highest scorer for the team with 21 points in both games. McCain is averaging 10.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game. And while the team and coach expect more out of him in the upcoming matches, he has proved that he has the potential to become the next big thing. 

On the other hand, Foster showcased his razzle-dazzle skills in the Georgia Tech game, where he got 40 minutes of playing time with Proctor out. The 6-footer is currently averaging 9.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. As the season continues, fans will be keeping their eye on both of these star freshmen to witness them elevating their game. 

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But one more decision looms over Coach Scheyer’s head about what he is going to do when Tyrese Proctor will be making a comeback when he fully recovers.