DJ Steward on Choosing Duke and How Coach K Is Using Him

Freshman guard from Chicago playing variety of roles

Duke freshman DJ Steward is the latest Blue Devil to come from Chicago. He saw the Chicago connections on the Duke staff.

“What was big for me was when the whole entire coaching staff came to visit me at my former high school—Whitney Young,” he said. “That was really big for me. They sat down and talked to me. Of course, I had a relationship. Coach (Jon) Scheyer is from Chicago and also Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski). That was big for me as well.”

Steward played two sports in high school, before giving up football to focus on the hardwood.

“I started playing football at five and played up until I was 11. I came back to football my freshman year and played wide receiver and safety. It really helps me (in basketball), just instincts, knowing where to go, just playing the ball like on defense, with safety, safety defensively-wise and with toughness as well. You have to be tough in football, knowing where to go and what’s around you. You get hit, and you’re not aware of what’s going on, it’s going to hurt even worse.”

Steward came to Duke as a combination guard, and so far, he’s been used at both point and shooting guard.

“Coach K has been using me on and off the ball, which is great,” he said, “because he can mix up lineups—J-Gold (Jordan Goldwire) and me, Jeremy Roach and me, sometimes me and Wendell (Moore Jr.) out on the court at the same time. It’s actually interesting for me, knowing where I could play and fit.”

Steward was a high school standout, and while he’s got plenty to learn, there are some skills that allow him to make an immediate impact.

“What translates well for me from high school is playing off the ball, coming off screens and knocking down shots, playing great defense, getting my hands in passing lanes and just always being in attack mode as well.”