You can’t always tell what a team is about from a summer practice. Coaches experiment, freshmen adjust, and lineups shift. But if you’ve been around Duke’s practices lately — even briefly — one thing becomes clear: Jon Scheyer is locked in on one mission.
And it’s not what people expected.
The Priority? Decision-Making at Speed
Forget the flashy drills or YouTube-friendly dunks. What Scheyer is drilling over and over is high-IQ decision-making in real time — under pressure, with urgency, and with consequences. You hesitate? You sit. You make the wrong read? You hear about it.
A source close to the program told us:
> “It’s not about how talented you are. It’s about how fast you can read the floor, adjust, and not panic. That’s what he’s hammering into everyone — especially the new guys.”
That “new guys” group includes some of the most hyped freshmen in the country — Cameron Boozer, Dame Sarr, Sebastian Wilkins, and Nikolas Khamenia. And while their athleticism pops, it’s their basketball IQ that’s being put to the test.
Players Are Talking — and Listening
During one closed session this week, Scheyer stopped a 3-on-3 drill mid-possession after a missed skip read.
> “You knew that wasn’t there — so why did you still throw it?” he asked, calm but firm.
“We’re not guessing anymore. We’re processing.”
It’s a subtle difference. But it’s what separates a good team from a great one.
Veteran Voices Reinforcing the Standard
What’s new this summer is how veterans are echoing the same mindset. Returners like Tyrese Proctor and Mark Mitchell are making sure the younger players are held accountable.
“You can’t cruise through this summer,” one player said. “Every rep matters. Every read matters.”
Even off the court, film sessions are tighter. Mistakes are paused, replayed, and dissected. It’s not punitive — it’s surgical.
Why It Matters for March
This kind of emphasis — especially in July — tells you something. Duke isn’t building for hype. They’re building for March.
This isn’t a group that’s going to live off talent alone. They’re being taught how to win possessions. How to make the second and third read. How to think like winners.
And the scary part? They’re picking it up fast.
