Jon Scheyer’s New Practice System Is Confusing Fans — But There’s a Genius Behind It

If you’ve caught snippets of Duke’s summer workouts, you’ve likely noticed something… off. The rotations are irregular. Some veterans are running with the third unit. And freshmen? They’re not just getting reps — they’re getting real roles.

But make no mistake: this isn’t chaos. It’s calculation.

Insiders close to the program say Jon Scheyer is running a modular system in practice — one where roles, pairings, and game scenarios are flipped on their head intentionally. Why? To create discomfort. To force communication. And to prepare this young roster for the unpredictable moments March will demand.

Cameron Boozer, widely considered the face of the incoming class, has been used in both post-heavy and perimeter-oriented drills — pushing him to stretch his versatility. Dame Sarr has taken unexpected lead-guard reps. Sebastian Wilkins is defending multiple positions — even guards. And Isaiah Evans? He’s being thrown into situations where he has to lead, not just score.

This isn’t about setting a rotation in July. It’s about stress-testing every player’s game.

Some fans have questioned the “chaos” of what they’ve seen — or haven’t seen — in the limited clips. But what looks like disorder might be something much deeper: Duke building a battle-ready roster that won’t flinch come tournament time.

And while social media’s busy debating Scheyer’s method… Duke’s players are quietly embracing the madness — and getting better because of it.