Glenbrook North coach Dave Weber is proud as onetime player Jon Scheyer coaches to Final Four
You may not be a Duke fan, but if you know your Illinois high school basketball history, it's hard not to cheer for Blue Devils Head Coach Jon Scheyer — one of the best players ever from the Chicago area and the entire state of Illinois.
Glenbrook North High School basketball coach Dave Weber mentored the legend, who is now in San Antonio chasing a national championship as a coach.
The trophy case at Glenbrook North High School is filled with memories of a special time for Weber — coaching Scheyer as the present-day Duke Coach helped Glenbrook North win a state championship in 2005.
"It was just for this community to have that, to have Jon to win a state championship and have those great teams. It's hard to explain how good he was — and the thing about him was he did it in a classy way," Scheyer said. "And some of the games, the individual games he played were, I don't know if anybody can match that. I think one of the games I'll always remember is a super sectional at Loyola University against Waukegan. He had 48 that night. When the games were bigger, Jon played bigger."
Weber, who coached Glenbrook North for 25 years, is now getting to enjoy watching his former player lead Duke to the Final Four.
"Truly, I'm loving this whole experience," Weber said. "You know, obviously he's done well in the past, but this year is really special. "
But it can be a bit stressful at times.
"It is a little nerve-wracking for me, though — I'll be honest. I woke up last Saturday, and I said: 'Why I am so uptight? Why am I anxious?' And I thought, 'Oh, Duke's playing today, and this is their chance to go to the Final Four," said Weber. "So I do feel some stress watching him. It's kind of interesting for an old coach to feel that way. "
Even when Scheyer was dominating on the court with the Spartans at Glenbrook North some 20 years ago, Dave had a feeling that someday, he would be a pretty good coach as well.
"I knew he was going to be a coach. I thought he was going to play in the NBA, but then he had that injury where he couldn't continue his career. Especially after that injury, he kept coming back here. We'd talk. He always wanted to play, but he wasn't healthy enough to play. He loves the game. He understands the game. Some players just don't get it, and he did. He did from his freshman year on. So I always thought, and I thought he'd be a great coach too — and he's shown that right now."
And Weber thinks Scheyer's experiences should help him as he coaches in a Final Four for the first time.
"He's seen what it takes to win championships. He did it in high school. He played in 2010—they won the championship. He was an assistant coach. And now here he is as the head coach. So he knows what it takes," Weber said. "It's not going to be easy. This is going to be a tough weekend for them."
And hopefully not too stressful a weekend for Coach Weber. In Northbrook, Matt Zahn, CBS News Chicago.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aces star A'ja Wilson's signature A'One Nike shoes sell out in under 5 minutes
USA TODAY and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article. Pricing and availability subject to change. The first signature shoe for Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson by Nike wasn't around very long as the A'Ones hit the market on Tuesday and sold out in less than five minutes. When the shoes went on sale at 10 a.m., it didn't take long for the website to say the in-demand kicks were out of stock. Advertisement As of Wednesday morning, the link for the shoe on Nike's website still says "the product you are looking for is no longer available." Wilson said on social media that the pink shoes, which retail for $110 for adults and $90 for kids, will be available again later in the week. 'This morning was wild,' she wrote on Instagram. "If you missed the A'One, don't worry. We're dropping again Thursday at Nike stores and other spots everywhere. I do this for the real ones, always.' Aces team owner Mark Davis wore a pair of A'One white OG Pearls while sitting courtside for Tuesday's pre-season game against the Phoenix Mercury. "I'm so glad the shoe can be a tool to bring people together," Wilson said when asked about Davis' show of support. "I'm so thankful we have him on our side because he does a lot of things to help us be a better team." Advertisement The Texas Longhorns women's basketball team wore the pink A'Ones during their run to the Final Four. "I couldn't believe it. Even seeing them when I was surprising them, some of them already had the shoes on, and I'm like, 'All right, well, the cat's out the bag.' It's extremely just joyful for me to share this experience," Wilson told For the Win. "To see young girls, to see teams, to see boys ― everybody in between ― wearing my shoe, particularly on a big stage like the Final Four when they didn't have to." The A'One Blue Indigo Girl and white OG Pearl shoes will be available on May 15. Wilson, who is the 13th woman to have a signature shoe, is only 28 years old but has won the WNBA MVP three times, Defensive Player of the Year twice, and led the Aces to two championships. The Aces begin their season on May 17 against the champion New York Liberty. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A'ja Wilson's signature A'One Nike shoes sell out in minutes
Indianapolis Star
7 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Why Barry Odom dismissed 1 Purdue football player, added Georgia transfers with driving arrests
Barry Odom emphasized discipline as a bedrock principle for his Purdue football tenure. He established it with expectations for attention and attendance at his first Boilermaker team meetings. He reinforced it with the 'Winning Edge' program — grueling, up-tempo offseason workouts designed to enhance mental toughness as much or more than physical skills. When freshman safety Antonio Parker was arrested on drug charges and other infractions weeks after arriving on campus, Odom dismissed him from the team. It sent a message about standards and expectations. It did not, though, establish a blanket zero-tolerance policy toward players with run-ins with law enforcement. The recent vehicle-related infractions of Georgia transfers NiTareon 'Nitro' Tuggle and Marques Easley do not belong in the same legal conversation as Parker's crime. Yet they illustrated the sometimes murky waters into which coaches must wade when rebuilding a roster via the transfer portal. Relationships with high school recruits are built over months or years. In the portal, they sometimes come together in a matter of days. Odom said his staff does what it can to build a network of sources for all incoming players on that truncated timeline. Our book on Purdue men's basketball's Final Four run makes the perfect Father's Day gift 'We've all made mistakes, or I certainly know I have,' Odom said in a Thursday video interview with local media. 'I think there's education pieces that I'm responsible for. ... You've got to decide No. 1, did he make a mistake? OK, why did he make it? Has he learned from it? Are we willing enough to have him in our program because he was issued a citation? 'I'm not the only one making those decisions. There's a number of people that go into stamping yes or no. But we also feel like the culture, the surrounding people that we have that are part of our organization, that we're in a position that it becomes the DNA of who we are on doing the right things and protecting the team and becoming great student-athletes at Purdue.' Tuggle and Easley came to Purdue from a Georgia program notorious for vehicle-related legal issues. Tuggle, a wide receiver, was arrested for speeding and reckless driving on March 19. The police report asserted he was driving 107 mph in a 65 mile-per-hour zone. In a plea deal, Tuggle pleaded guilty to speeding in exchange for dismissal of the reckless driving. Easley, an offensive lineman, was charged with three counts of reckless conduct and one count of reckless driving after crashing his vehicle into the front of an apartment complex on March 22. According to the Athens Banner-Herald, investigating troopers said in the crash report they found evidence of 'laying drag' — intentionally skidding the car. Per online court records, Easley's case has not reached resolution. At the time he and Tuggle entered the portal, both players had been suspended by Georgia. According to the Banner-Herald, Georgia players or support staff members have been charged with speeding, reckless driving or racing in 32 incidents since Jan. 15, 2023. That's the date football player Devin Willock and recruiting staffer Chandler LeCroy were killed in a high-speed crash. Odom said his staff scrutinizes every incoming player, not merely those with a public incident in their past. They look for evidence of a love for the game. They make sure the players know the academic commitment at Purdue exceeds that expected at many other institutions. 'If all of those things align, then we know structurally they will thrive in our system,' Odom said. A QB, skill players, OL and more: Who is in Purdue football's 2026 recruiting class? Another incoming player, safety Myles Slusher, was suspended by Arkansas after a 2022 arrest for disorderly conduct. He served a one-game suspension and left the program soon after. That's three players with public brushes with the law out of the 26 signed in the spring window. Transferring to Purdue provided both Tuggle and Easley a chance to move closer to home, and further from Athens. Tuggle played at Northwood, located southeast of South Bend. Easley grew up in Peoria, Illinois, and played at Kankakee (Illinois) High School, located south of Chicago and about 90 minutes from Ross-Ade Stadium. Odom said both players could make an impact quickly. The Boilermakers need playmakers, and Tuggle was a four-star, borderline top-100 prospect out of high school. The 6-foot-5, 325-pound Easley was also a four-star prospect, ranked in the top 200 per some services. He retains four years of eligibility, while Tuggle comes with three. Odom said he's been impressed with Tuggle's linear speed and ability to change directions. Easley has 'transformed his body' to better use his 'exceptional feet.' Those attributes show up on film. Recent events meant Odom and his staff had to be sure about their evaluation in other areas, too. 'Any time you're going to try to recruit a young man to your campus you make sure they're a fit in every single area,' Odom said. 'And if they're not, it doesn't matter how good of a player you think they are. It'll never work.'
USA Today
16 hours ago
- USA Today
Chris Paul gives massive praise to projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg
Chris Paul gives massive praise to projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg Cooper Flagg is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft and has impressed many observers in recent memory, including future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. Flagg led Duke to the Final Four, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks on 38.5% shooting from 3-point range. He became the 22nd player in program history to be named a consensus first-team All-American. The 18-year-old is busy training during the predraft process and has spent some time in Los Angeles, California. Paul has joined him in the gym on a couple of occasions and can see why he is the clear choice to be the top pick on June 25. "I'm just like everybody else: I'm a fan," Paul said on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday. "I was at home in L.A., and I was watching the ping-pong balls like everybody, and when I saw the Spurs pop into the top four, we were going crazy. Guys on my team (in the) group chat, we were like, 'What is about to happen?' I'm in L.A. right now, and Cooper Flagg has been out there. I've been in the gym with him a couple of times, or whatnot. He is as real as advertised." Flagg entered last season with tremendous expectations as the consensus top recruit in the class of 2024. He was highly touted as the likely top pick in the draft and lived up to the hype after becoming the face of the sport this past season. The 6-foot-8 forward has drawn comparisons to former Duke legend and Hall of Famer Grant Hill because of his size, athleticism and ability to affect games in various ways. Former coach Mike Krzyzewski even called him the best freshman to ever play with the Blue Devils. After trading away cornerstone Luka Dončić, the Mavericks hope Flagg can step in and be their long-term solution. Should Flagg indeed hear his name called first, the ACC Freshman of the Year will become the sixth Blue Devil to be selected as the top pick.
