Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer summer press conference
For the first time since Duke basketball’s loss to Houston, head coach Jon Scheyer reflected on last season and looked ahead to the 2025-26 season.
Transfer Cedric Coward initially committed to Duke but then opted to stay in the NBA draft, where he was selected 11th overall.Duke quickly added wing Dame Sarr and forward Sebastian Wilkins to address the roster gaps.Scheyer emphasized the importance of transparency and proactive communication during the Coward situation.
DURHAM — Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer had to navigate a “crazy process” as he closed the book on the 2024-25 season and began focusing on his fourth year as the leader of the Blue Devils.
The Devils lost their entire starting lineup to the 2025 NBA Draft and welcomed back five returners from a squad that won the ACC and made a run to the Final Four.
But 6-foot-6 sharpshooter Isaiah Evans, a sophomore who withdrew from the draft process in May, was the only wing on the roster in the aftermath of his freshman season.
Washington State transfer Cedric Coward committed to the Blue Devils in late April, presumably providing the program with some depth and stability on the perimeter as a prototypical 3-and-D wing. But, by the time Coward lit up the NBA Draft Combine with a sizzling shooting showing in mid-May, it was clear he would never play at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
On May 24, Coward announced his decision to stay in the draft. That ended up being the right call for Coward, who was selected 11th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers and traded to the Memphis Grizzlies.
It looked like Duke was back at the starting point, with Evans being the only true wing on the roster. But Scheyer and the Blue Devils didn’t have to wait on Coward’s official stay-or-go call. Coward kept in touch throughout the process, so it didn’t come as a surprise to Scheyer when the talented wing detoured away from Durham to stick with the professional route.
“It’s a crazy process, right? And you want to deal with people that are transparent. You want to deal with people that are proactive with their communication. First of all, I’m very happy for Cedric to go 11th in the draft, to end up in a great spot. I thought him, his family, his agent were nothing but transparent every step of the way,” Scheyer said July 8 during a press conference inside the Bill Brill Media Room at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
“I know the news came out later that he was staying in the draft, but we had conversations weeks ahead of that, basically explaining to him, the program can’t wait. We have to make sure our program is in the best position and, obviously, he wanted to get as much information as possible.
“We just agreed that we were going to continue to move on and fill out our roster, and then we’d support him from afar with what he was trying to do. Because it was very clear, when we started talking to him and then by the time his commitment came, the buzz surrounding him was incredible. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Scheyer’s backup plan was in motion well before Coward’s decision. Two days before Coward’s official announcement, Duke landed Italian wing Dame Sarr, a projected first-round pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and ― more importantly, for Duke – another starting option on the wing.
A day later, top-30 recruit Sebastian Wilkins committed to the Blue Devils and reclassified to the 2025 class, giving Duke another depth piece as a 6-foot-8 forward. But the 6-foot-7 Sarr projects as the player capable of providing the shooting, size and defensive attributes in the starting lineup that Coward was expected to bring to Duke.
Sarr spent last season with FC Barcelona in the ACB, Spain’s premier professional league. He averaged 5.4 points in 13 minutes per game and knocked down 42.9% of his shots from beyond the arc.
“We followed Dame for a long period of time. Different type of recruitment, but big believer in what he can do. We knew just talking to him, we were so thankful to be able to get Dame here and then Sebastian,” Scheyer said. “I felt like the spring for us was great, not just getting those two guys, but I think it can be overlooked the five players returning and the three incoming guys, how impactful they can be. So I think that’s a big deal for us.”
Throughout the rollercoaster ride of recruiting and finalizing a roster, Scheyer was reminded of something that played a key role in getting the 2025-26 group set in stone for the season.
“Somebody told me this once, and I think it applies now in recruiting, especially in those (Coward) situations: Coaching is making real-time decisions with imperfect information,” he said.
“You don’t always have the information in those moments, so, like I said, the transparency was key.”
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.