Duke basketball: Jon Scheyer talks toughness, Cooper Flagg, Maliq Brown at ACC Tipoff

Posted by Admin October 9, 2024 Basketball

CHARLOTTE — Duke basketball will likely enter the 2024-25 season as the favorite to win the ACC.

Viewed as one of the teams capable of cutting down the nets as national champions at the 2025 Final Four in San Antonio, the Blue Devils enter their third season under head coach Jon Scheyer with several key returners, another loaded recruiting class and some vital additions via the transfer portal.

Duke is among the 18 teams attending ACC Tipoff, the annual unofficial start of the season for the conference. Scheyer, along with returning guards Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor, represented the Blue Devils on Wednesday afternoon at the Hilton Charlotte Uptown.

Here are some takeaways from that trio as college basketball season gets closer on the calendar.

Cooper Flagg ‘wired’ to handle hype, ‘hot and cold’ analysis of Duke

Jon Scheyer said 17-year-old Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is “wired” to handle the hype that will follow Flagg and the Blue Devils this season.

When asked about dealing with players like Flagg and Zion Williamson, Scheyer said he tries to focus on “the fact of not worrying about things you can’t control.”

“Another thing I’ve learned is just how incredibly hot and cold it gets,” Scheyer said, referring to positive and negative exposure. “It’s a hot-and-cold world we live in. For Cooper, it’s hot one day and can be cold the next. For any of our freshmen, for me, the team, it’s how can you stay even keel.”

Maliq Brown is underrated, could be one of ACC’s best defenders

Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown has received rave reviews for his activity as a defender throughout the offseason. Scheyer and Foster brought that to light again at ACC Tipoff, praising Brown’s versatility.

“I haven’t been asked about him as much. He’s been terrific for us. You should ask these guys if they like trying to score on him,” Scheyer said. “We track deflections. His deflections are off the charts more than any player I’ve ever coached in terms of his activity on the ball and off the ball.”

Foster agreed, saying “Maliq is one of the best defenders” he’s played against as he enters his sophomore season.

“His activity on and off the ball is just unmatched,” Foster said. “I think he has a chance to be the best defender in college basketball this year.”

Jon Scheyer, Tyrese Proctor preach toughness for Blue Devils

Toughness was a trait not often associated with Duke last season. Despite winning 27 games and advancing to the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils seemed to struggle with handling adversity at crucial times.

“We hear the narrative every year that I’ve been here that we’re not tough, and I feel like it’s a big thing that individually I’ve had conversations with guys,” Proctor said. “As a team we’ve had conversations just making sure we are always together no matter what the situation is, all the expectations that come with being at Duke, period.”

With six freshmen and four players from the transfer portal, Scheyer made it a point to prioritize adding players who will consistently bounce back when they’re knocked down.

“The strategy right away was to build toughness within our program,” Scheyer said. “Our goal wasn’t to win the transfer recruiting rankings and be No. 1. It was to build character and toughness. … To me, it was doubling down on our culture.”

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.