Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Jon Scheyer Outlines Ideal Roster Construction

During a recent chat with Duke basketball alum Jay Bilas, Jon Scheyer explained his hope for slightly smaller recruiting classes.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer
Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer / Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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Entering Jon Scheyer's third season as Duke basketball head coach boasting a career 54-18 overall record, one ACC Tournament title, and an Elite Eight appearance, the Blue Devils are projected to be ranked inside the top 10 once again.

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In other words, roster construction hasn't been a glaring issue in Durham under Scheyer's command following the retirement of five-time national champion Mike Krzyzewski.

In fact, when listening to the 36-year-old Scheyer's recent chat with Duke basketball alum and longtime ESPN analyst Jay Bilas on The Brotherhood Podcast, it sounds like his ideal ranges when it comes to counts of returning players, incoming freshmen, and transfer additions aren't much different than what comprised the three rosters he's constructed thus far (including the next one).

"Going forward, probably not going to be a class of six freshmen, more so four or three, or maybe the max would be five," Scheyer noted to Bilas after emphasizing his aim to ensure a bit more experience in the future via the transfer portal. "Ideally, you have three to five players returning, although some years it may be two, some years it could be six. And then, one or two transfers.

"And that's the way — at least right now with the way it's set up in college — being at Duke is the most successful way for us and the way we're going to go forward with."

As a rookie head coach in 2022-23 following nine seasons on Coach K's staff, Jon Scheyer had the services of seven freshmen, three transfers, and two returning scholarship players. This past season, those numbers were four, zero (not counting walk-on transfer Neal Begovich), and eight, respectively.

And as for the completed 2024-25 roster, Duke basketball enjoys six first-year college talents representing the nation's top-ranked recruiting class, along with four transfers, including three who figure to receive significant playing time, and two returning guards with starting experience in junior Tyrese Proctor and sophomore Caleb Foster.

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Matt Giles

MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of FanNation's Blue Devil Country and All Tar Heels, covering the Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels on SI.com.

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