When you step into Duke’s basketball program under Jon Scheyer, you don’t just learn plays — you learn a mindset. Scheyer calls it the “98 percent” rule, and it’s quickly become the foundation of how the Blue Devils operate.
Most coaches tell their players to give 100 percent. Scheyer takes a different approach.
“It’s about consistency,” Scheyer explained at the ACC Tipoff. “We call it 98 percent — the plays you’re making without the ball. The rebounding, the defense, the next-play mentality. Those things decide games.”
According to Scheyer, the ball is in a player’s hands only about two percent of the time. The rest — the other 98 percent — is where champions are made.
The Devil Is in the Details
Last season’s Duke team, led by superstar freshman Cooper Flagg, was as talented as any in the country. But Scheyer said what set them apart was their embrace of the “98 percent” rule — diving for loose balls, deflecting passes, rotating on defense, doing all the little things that never make a highlight reel.
“For guys coming out of high school, that’s a big adjustment,” Scheyer said. “They’re used to having the ball in their hands. But now, the NBA wants low-usage players — guys who impact the game without dominating the ball.”
This year’s squad, ranked No. 6 in the AP preseason poll and the ACC favorite, blends experienced veterans like junior Caleb Foster and senior Maliq Brown with elite newcomers such as the Boozer twins (Cameron and Cayden), Sebastian Wilkins, Nik Khamenia, and Italian freshman Dame Sarr.
“The freshmen already know what Duke basketball is about,” Brown said. “The standard’s been set.”
Foster added that his role as a leader is to “not let the 98 percent slip,” knowing that in college basketball, the margin for error is razor-thin. “You have to master the details to win at the highest levels,” he said.
Slim Evans Steps Into the Spotlight
One of the Blue Devils’ most intriguing players this season is 6-foot-6 sophomore Isaiah “Slim” Evans. A sharpshooter who hit 41.6% from deep last year, Evans showed his potential in Duke’s win over No. 2 Auburn, dropping 18 points in the first half alone.
Scheyer wants Evans to keep growing beyond his shooting ability.
“He’s got an incredible weapon, but we’re pushing him to expand his game — to defend, rebound, attack the rim, and get to the free throw line,” Scheyer said. “The guys who buy into the 98 percent will be the ones on the floor.”
Chasing Redemption
After winning the 2025 ACC title, Duke fell just short of glory, losing to Houston in the Final Four — a loss that still lingers for Brown and Foster.
“That one hurt,” Brown admitted. “But it’s motivation. We want to get back and finish the job.”
Scheyer agreed.
“The holy grail of college basketball is the Final Four,” he said. “There are only two outcomes — glory or heartbreak. Last year, it was heartbreak. But if you keep putting yourself in that position, it’s going to happen.”
With preseason exhibitions against UCF (Oct. 21) and Tennessee (Oct. 26) leading up to their Nov. 4 opener against Texas in the Dick Vitale Invitational, Duke’s mission is clear: live the 98 percent rule, and get back to the Final Four — this time, for glory.
