Latest news with #JonScheyer
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Duke coach Jon Scheyer drops truth bomb on Cooper Flagg's Mavericks fit
The post Duke coach Jon Scheyer drops truth bomb on Cooper Flagg's Mavericks fit appeared first on ClutchPoints. Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer is excited about the possibility of Cooper Flagg playing for the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks have the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Flagg is likely getting selected. Advertisement 'To me, it's a dream spot,' Scheyer said of the Mavericks, per ESPN. 'I really feel that way.' Flagg played for Scheyer at Duke this past season. The fabulous freshman led the Blue Devils in scoring, pouring in more than 19 points per game. Duke reached a Final Four with Flagg leading the way. 'He's not going to go into Dallas thinking he's got all the answers,' Scheyer added. 'He's going to learn from Kyrie, he's going to learn from [Davis]. He's going to learn from Derek Lively and Jason Kidd and his staff. He's coming in to learn, and I think that's a special part about him.' Flagg is considered to be almost a lock for the Mavericks as the first pick. The NBA Draft starts Wednesday night, at Brooklyn New York's Barclays Center. Advertisement Jon Scheyer believes Cooper Flagg could be special for the Mavericks David Banks-Imagn Images Scheyer had a special season in the ACC, with Flagg leading the way. Duke basketball won the ACC tournament, as well as the regular season conference title. In a game against Notre Dame, Flagg set the ACC freshman single-game scoring record with 42 points. Scheyer thinks Flagg can leave his mark in Dallas as well. The Mavericks had a disappointing season this year, after Luka Doncic got traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. 'Dallas has been lucky for many years,' Scheyer said. 'They've been able to watch Dirk, Luka — so many winning teams. Now, you've got a guy in Cooper, who I think will carry that tradition forward.' Advertisement Flagg is one of several Duke players looking to get drafted on Wednesday. Center Khaman Maluach, and guard Kon Knueppel also left the Blue Devils program after just one season. Related: UConn legend Jim Calhoun shares wish for Thunder's Mark Daigneault after NBA Finals Related: Iowa State basketball sends 3-word message to Tyrese Haliburton after painful Game 7
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jon Scheyer reveals impact Cooper Flagg had on his coaching
The post Jon Scheyer reveals impact Cooper Flagg had on his coaching appeared first on ClutchPoints. Before Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks, he was a freshman sensation at Duke. In doing so, he made an indelible impression on everyone he played with and for. Advertisement That includes his former coach Jon Scheyer. On Friday, Scheyer spoke about his feelings on Flagg and how he impacted his approach to coaching, per Daniel Hager of 'I think the biggest thing that I've learned is to not skip steps and not go backwards with how you can approach this thing,' Scheyer said. 'Because so much now is thrown at anybody we're recruiting right now. They've had opportunities for money. They've had opportunities for brand deals, promotions, you name it. And I thought that group did a tremendous job, and Cooper was the prime example of keeping the main thing the main thing. And knowing if you do it the right way, if you knock it out of the park at Duke, not only is the financial aspect gonna be there for your life but you're gonna be in a better position.' During his stint at Duke, Flagg was a virtual sensation with professional prospects right from the jump. He averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. In addition, he helped lead the Blue Devils to the Final Four before losing to Houston 70-67. Cooper Flagg's one-year impact at Duke Beyond the numbers, Flagg cultivated a stature beyond his 18 years. He became the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year, and Naismith Player of the Year. Advertisement In essence, Flagg solidified his status among other Duke greats such as Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, JJ Reddick, and Zion Williamson. Along the way, he made life easy for Scheyer in his third full year as head coach. His impact was so significant that Scheyer predicted Flagg would be a good fit for the Mavericks. Related: Jon Scheyer has 'never seen anything like' Cedric Coward's NBA Draft rise Related: BYU basketball freshman AJ Dybantsa's Fanatics deal helps boost $4.1 million NIL valuation
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jon Scheyer has ‘never seen anything like' Cedric Coward's NBA Draft rise
The post Jon Scheyer has 'never seen anything like' Cedric Coward's NBA Draft rise appeared first on ClutchPoints. One of the biggest storylines surrounding the 2025 NBA Draft was the rise of former Duke commit Cedric Coward into a lottery pick. Coward was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the draft by the Portland Trail Blazers and then traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. Before the draft though, Coward had committed to Duke and Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer recently spoke about how he had never seen anything like Coward's rise in the draft, as per Sam Gillenwater of On3 Sports. Advertisement 'I've never seen anything like that. It was, again, like I said, very happy for him. But, you have to, you know – somebody told me this once, and, you know, I think it applies now in recruiting, especially in those situations, but coaching is making real-time decisions with imperfect information,' Scheyer said. 'You know, you don't always have the information in those moments. And so, like I said, the transparency was key.' Cedric Coward had originally committed to Duke after entering the transfer portal and simultaneously declaring for the NBA Draft. After seeing his draft stock rise to the point where he was being considered a lottery pick, Coward ultimately decided to remain in the draft instead of playing his last year of eligibility with the Blue Devils. His path to the NBA was an uncommon route as well. He started off his college career at Division 3 Willamette where he played one season before transferring to Eastern Washington. After two seasons with the Eagles, he transferred to Washington State where he was limited to only six games due to injury. But following a strong showing at the NBA Draft combine along with his skill-set and player archetype, Coward rose from a sure-fire first round pick to a sure-bet lottery pick. Coward joins Javon Small and Jahmai Mashack, both of whom were drafted in the second round, as the Grizzlies' rookies this upcoming season. Related: Jon Scheyer reveals impact Cooper Flagg had on his coaching Related: BYU basketball freshman AJ Dybantsa's Fanatics deal helps boost $4.1 million NIL valuation
New York Times
09-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Duke basketball takeaways: With Cooper Flagg in NBA, Jon Scheyer talks what's next
DURHAM, N.C. — Not even 24 hours after the most devastating loss of his head coaching career, Jon Scheyer dove straight back into heartbreak. It would've been understandable not to. To take some time, after Duke's stunning 70-67 loss to Houston in the Final Four, to digest what had gone wrong and why. To process how not even Cooper Flagg — the near-consensus national player of the year, and the eventual No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft — could stave off one of the biggest NCAA Tournament collapses of all time. Advertisement Instead? On the Blue Devils' flight home from San Antonio, there Scheyer was: digesting the game tape, reliving the most painful defeat he's suffered in three seasons coaching his alma mater. 'It's natural to shy away from it, or to make an excuse, or rationalize — and for me, I only know one way, and that's to dive deeper into it,' Scheyer said Tuesday, in his first news conference since April. 'You don't get that moment back. But at the same time, what you draw from it and (how) you lean into it, it's the only way to go forward.' Scheyer added that he's rewatched the game — one Duke lost despite leading by 9 points with just over two minutes left — several more times. Not to twist the knife any deeper, but to hopefully avoid a similar fate in the future. Not that his mindset made the viewing experience any easier. 'I had to see it,' the 37-year-old said. 'There's lessons from that game that I'll share with our team at the right time, but for me, it took a couple months to really understand, process, feel it, live it — and feel the pain. Feel everything associated with it.' But Scheyer didn't just dwell on the past Tuesday. Here are four other takeaways on the state of the Blue Devils. All five of last season's starters are now in the NBA — fellow one-and-dones Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach joined Flagg as top-10 picks, while guards Sion James and Tyrese Proctor were second-rounders. So Duke's rotation will obviously look much different next season. Nowhere is that more apparent than in the frontcourt, where two returners — rising senior Maliq Brown and rising sophomore Patrick Ngongba — will compete to start at center. Of the two, Brown easily played a more significant role last season, averaging 15.8 minutes per game while emerging as the team's most versatile defender. But the 6-foot-9 big also struggled with various injuries, missing 13 total games and the bulk of several others. After separating his left shoulder in the ACC tournament, Brown played only 22 total minutes in the NCAA Tournament before having offseason shoulder surgery. Advertisement Ngongba, on the other hand, arrived at Duke last summer as a five-star recruit still reeling from foot injuries sustained his senior season of high school. The Virginia native missed parts of the preseason while he recovered and then didn't play in nine of Duke's first 15 games. But eventually — and in part due to Brown's injuries — he settled into a role as a backup center, displaying the post moves and rebounding prowess that made him a top-25 recruit. Ngongba played 10 combined minutes in the Elite Eight and Final Four, but in the 10 games before that, the 6-foot-11 big averaged 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game. With Maluach gone, those two will play the majority of Duke's center minutes. Scheyer said that Ngongba, who was seen in a boot earlier this offseason, is 'in perfect health' with no limitations. Brown, on the other hand, is 'weeks ahead of schedule' after his surgery, but is still limited to noncontact work like shooting and handling. 'He dislocated his shoulder twice, and you have to be really cautious with that,' Scheyer said. 'So he won't do contact still for another four to eight weeks, really, but he can do basically everything five-on-zero.' In a sign of the times, where the transfer portal waits for no one, Duke lost one of its assistant coaches before last season ended. After reports surfaced in February that Jai Lucas was Miami's top target for its head coaching vacancy, Lucas stayed on through the ACC tournament before departing for South Florida on Selection Sunday. But that was only the beginning of Duke's offseason staff churn. Scheyer backfilled Lucas' opening with former Utah Jazz assistant Evan Bradds in early May, before hiring former Howard assistant Tyler Thornton later that month to replace Will Avery. Recently, director of player development Justin Robinson also left to become a development coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. And don't forget that last summer, Scheyer lured Emanuel Dildy away from Oklahoma to replace Amile Jefferson, who left for a job with the Boston Celtics. Advertisement That leaves associate head coach Chris Carrawell and general manager Rachel Baker as two of the few full-time staffers to have been with Scheyer since his start in April 2022. 'It means you have good people. Otherwise, people wouldn't be calling and trying to hire them,' Scheyer joked. 'You have to start back at ground zero — which, to be honest with you, is something that's good for me anyway. Coming off of this season, there's a lot of new. So it gives you a chance to really analyze what's worked, (and) what do we need to do better? The responsibilities within a staff, to me, have changed in the last three years.' Which is why Scheyer leaned on two hires with whom he has direct ties. Thornton was a senior during Scheyer's first season back on staff in 2013-14, when he was a special assistant to Mike Krzyzewski. Bradds arrives on the recommendation of Utah Jazz coach Will Hardy, one of Scheyer's closest friends in basketball. And before his time in Salt Lake City, Bradds spent two seasons as a video coordinator with the Boston Celtics — who, not coincidentally, employ another of Scheyer's good buddies, Brad Stevens, as general manager. (Scheyer also spent time with former Celtics and current Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka in Team USA settings.) 'We pride ourselves on the player development here. We pride ourselves on the way that we play. It's modern as could be; it's similar to how guys would be taught as they go on to their next step,' Scheyer said. 'So what better than to get a guy who's lived it for the last seven years, being around guys like Brad Stevens, Ime Udoka and Will Hardy?' Of Duke's returners, Brown and Ngongba are pure frontcourt players, while Caleb Foster and Darren Harris will be key backcourt players. Only Isaiah Evans, the 6-foot-6 sharpshooter who withdrew from the NBA Draft in May, could reasonably be considered a wing. And considering Duke's three-man freshman class featured two more forwards and a point guard — Cam Boozer, Nik Khamenia and Cayden Boozer, respectively — Scheyer needed to add at least one more starting-caliber wing to feel solid about his lineup. He appeared to find him in late April, when former Washington State wing Cedric Coward committed to Duke over Alabama. Despite playing only six games for the Cougars last season, Coward's size, defense and 3-point prowess made him one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal — and someone who, after a season at Duke, figured to emerge as a potential lottery pick for 2026. But in the days and weeks after Coward's commitment, buzz about the 6-foot-6 wing only continued to grow as he explored his professional options. By the time Coward dominated the combine in mid-May, it was apparent he'd never play in Durham. While Coward didn't officially announce his intention to stay in the draft — where he was selected 11th by the Portland Trail Blazers and traded to the Memphis Grizzlies — until May 24, Scheyer said Coward kept the program apprised of his thinking every step of the way. That allowed Duke to appropriately pivot and land Italian wing Dame Sarr (pronounced Dah-may) a day before Coward's announcement. Advertisement 'The program can't wait, you know? We have to make sure our program is in the best position, and obviously he wanted to get as much information as possible — so we basically agreed we were going to continue to move on and fill out our roster, and then we'd support him from afar.' Sarr, a potential lottery pick in 2026, projects as one of Duke's perimeter starters and key contributors. The 6-foot-7 Sarr spent last season with FC Barcelona in the ACB, Spain's top professional league, where Scheyer once played. Sarr averaged 5.4 points and shot 42.9 percent from 3 in 13.4 minutes per game last season. Over two decades after Carlos Boozer last suited up in a Duke jersey, his sons have finally made their way to their father's old campus. And while that may seem like it was destined, that wasn't the reality. Miami — where the twins grew up and where their mother lives — made a heavy push to keep them home, and was considered a front-runner at various points in their recruitment. But ultimately, Duke's legacy factor, history of development and available roles helped Scheyer close the deal. 'Obviously, they love their dad and want to honor Carlos, but the reality is, this had to be the best decision for them — or they shouldn't come here,' Scheyer said. Still, the juice should be worth the squeeze for Scheyer — especially with Cameron, the No. 3 player in the class, per the 247Sports Composite. As a 6-foot-9 stretch forward, the bigger Boozer immediately slots into the starting position vacated by Flagg. And while Cameron is a much different player from Flagg — he's sturdier, at around 235 pounds, with more refined post moves but less ballhandling ability — he figures to be similarly impactful as one of Duke's leading scorers and rebounders. Cayden, the No. 20 player in the class, should be one of Duke's top backcourt reserves, someone capable of spelling Foster and initiating offense. Cameron projects as a surefire one-and-done, and while Cayden may reach that level, it's more reasonable to expect he'll spend multiple seasons in college. Navigating their recruitments — some of which overlapped, but some of which did not — was another hurdle for Scheyer in getting the Boozers on campus. Advertisement 'I don't think anything about their recruitment was normal,' Scheyer said. 'You have two special talents and players — and they live in the same house. … We recruited them for a long time; I mean a long time. And that doesn't happen as much now.' Given what it took to land the Boozers, Scheyer needs the twins to deliver on the same level as past freshman stars who preceded them.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jon Scheyer Reveals His True Feelings on Cooper Flagg Joining the Mavericks Before 2025 NBA Draft
Jon Scheyer Reveals His True Feelings on Cooper Flagg Joining the Mavericks Before 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Dallas Mavericks are heading into the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25 with the No. 1 overall pick. Their jump from No. 11 to No. 1 in the Draft Lottery is the biggest since the new lottery odds were introduced in 2019. Advertisement This news shocked the NBA world, but the CBB world as well. Teams had been tanking all season, while Cooper Flagg had an incredible season with the Duke Blue Devils. Many NBA teams hoped to land Flagg as the prize of a losing season, but the honor will go to the Mavericks, who can finally rally behind a new generational talent after Luka Doncic was traded in February. Flagg will likely head to a win-now destination if the Mavericks make the widely assumed decision to draft him, a fact that delights Duke coach Jon Scheyer. In a recent interview with ESPN's Baxter Holmes. "To me, it's a dream spot," Scheyer said of the Mavericks. "I really feel that way." Advertisement "He's not going to go into Dallas thinking he's got all the answers," Scheyer said. "He's going to learn from Kyrie, he's going to learn from [Davis]. He's going to learn from Derek Lively and Jason Kidd and his staff. He's coming in to learn, and I think that's a special part about him." Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg reacts after a 3-point basket against the Houston Cougars in the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome on April 5, Donnan-Imagn Images Scheyer also addressed that Flagg is heading into a team that's seen franchise pillars represent them for over 25 years, a responsibility that will pass onto Flagg now. "Dallas has been lucky for many years. They've been able to watch Dirk, Luka -- so many winning teams. Now, you've got a guy in Cooper, who I think will carry that tradition forward." Advertisement It'll be a shock at this point if the Mavericks don't draft Flagg, with the team even accidentally sharing promo material of Flagg as a Maverick on their website. While the Mavericks will be without former Blue Devil Kyrie Irving for a majority of next season, they will have another former Duke star, Dereck Lively II, mentoring Flagg. Lively was drafted by the Mavs in 2023 after one season at Duke and has been a contributor since day one. Related: Cooper Flagg's Potential Financial Impact on Mavericks Might Be the Real Lottery This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
