There’s a certain kind of silence in a gym that only happens when everyone knows something big is brewing. That was the sound inside Duke’s practice facility this week — not quiet because there was no action, but quiet because the work was so focused, so deliberate, it drowned out everything else.
From the very first step on the hardwood, the Blue Devils looked different. They didn’t jog into drills — they sprinted. They didn’t toss the ball around — every pass had zip. The warmups alone had the intensity of a midseason ACC matchup.
Jon Scheyer’s whistle pierced the air, and just like that, they were off. The first drill? Brutal. Full-court sprints directly into defensive rotations, followed by immediate transition offense reps. No water breaks. No easing into the day. The ball never stopped moving, and neither did the players.
By the time the first timeout came, most teams would be leaning on their knees, catching their breath. Not Duke.
Instead, Isaiah Evans had a look in his eyes like he’d just been challenged. Caleb Foster was talking — not trash, but commands, holding his teammates accountable. Dame Sarr, the freshman, wasn’t just keeping up — he was darting into passing lanes, calling for the ball, and driving straight at older players without hesitation.
The bench was no different. Even the guys not in the drill weren’t relaxing — they were studying, leaning forward, eyes glued to every play, every mistake, every success.
Then came the moment that sealed it.
During a scrimmage, Foster found Sarr on the wing. A quick jab, a burst past his defender, and Sarr threw down a dunk so hard the rim swayed for seconds. The gym erupted — but it wasn’t just because of the dunk. It was because of the look Sarr gave afterward. Not a smirk. Not arrogance. Just that same unshakable, locked-in stare that had been there since the first whistle.
Scheyer didn’t give a speech. He just nodded — the kind of nod that says, “This is exactly what we’re building.”
That’s the part most people outside the program will never understand. Championships aren’t just won in March. They’re forged in moments like these — when a team’s collective mindset shifts from wanting to win to expecting to win.
This summer, Duke isn’t just putting in work. They’re creating an identity. One you can see… in their eyes.
