The summer grind has officially begun for the Duke Blue Devils, but head coach Jon Scheyer isn’t exactly thrilled with what he’s been watching.
Sources close to the program say Scheyer’s frustration is growing behind closed doors as the team’s offseason practices reveal a troubling pattern — the same issues that haunted last year’s squad are resurfacing early. Whether it’s defensive lapses, careless turnovers, or a lack of vocal leadership on the court, Scheyer’s message is clear: progress isn’t optional.
> “We’re not where we need to be,” one staffer overheard Scheyer say after a recent closed-door scrimmage. “We’ve got too much talent to be this sloppy.”
Duke returns several key pieces this season, including Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, and Patrick Ngongba II, along with highly touted freshman Cameron Boozer. But talent alone won’t carry the Blue Devils through the ACC gauntlet — especially when discipline and cohesion seem to be missing.
Insiders noted a particularly heated moment in practice last week when Scheyer stopped a drill mid-play and tore into the team’s effort on help-side defense. “We talked about this in March,” he reportedly said, “and you’re still making the same reads? That’s not championship basketball.”
Leadership Void?
A major point of concern appears to be the lack of a clear on-court leader. Last season, Duke struggled when games got tight, often folding under pressure. With Jeremy Roach now gone, the question becomes: Who’s stepping up?
While Caleb Foster has shown flashes of maturity, and Isaiah Evans is vocal at times, Scheyer is still searching for someone who can command the locker room, hold teammates accountable, and set the tone — every single possession.
A Wake-Up Call or a Warning?
Scheyer isn’t panicking — yet. Summer practices are meant to be experimental, but they also serve as a gut check. His stern approach this early in the offseason could be a calculated move to jolt his players into urgency.
The clock is ticking. With expectations sky-high and a fanbase hungry for a Final Four return, Duke doesn’t have time to waste.
And if the Blue Devils want to avoid another season defined by underachievement, they better take their coach’s warning seriously.
One thing is certain: If Duke doesn’t clean up its act soon, Jon Scheyer won’t be the only one asking, “Same mistakes, new season?” — the entire college basketball world will be watching.
