Jeff Capel, Jon Scheyer Bonded Recruiting NBA Superstar

Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel and his counterpart at Duke share a special bond.

PITTSBURGH -- Before they were competitors on the court, leading their respective teams against one another in ACC battles, Pitt Panthers head coach Jeff Capel and his counterpart at Duke, Jon Scheyer, were good friends and colleagues, helping guide Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils to win after win. 

Even after parting ways, they still are good friends and as Capel and Scheyer get set for a critical matchup at the Petersen Events Center between Pitt and No. 11 Duke, they enjoy reminiscing about the landmark moments they shared, including an unexpectedly successful home visit with former Duke and current Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum. 

"Jon had done a really good job with everything - with Jayson, his family, his mom Brandy and I just remember them and going through the presentation and coach [Krzyzewski], he was coach, he was awesome," Capel said. "I think [Tatum] shocked all of us when he committed. And we were just all kind of looking at each other like ‘Did this really happen?’"

Capel said he let out an expletive when Tatum shared his verbal commitment, then his mom, Brandy, made dinner and everyone got to see an unusually laid-back and celebratory side of their typically buttoned-up Hall of Fame head coach.

"I was so shocked and then I remember Brandy serving us the amazing tacos that she makes," Capel said. "And it was the first time I think I’d ever seen [Coach K] drink a beer. And maybe the only time."

Capel and Scheyer, both former Blue Devils players, arrived at Duke to become assistant coaches two years apart but Scheyer, the younger of the two, had a reputation from his days as a player that Capel quickly learned about from the other members already on staff. 

Chris Collins and Steve Wojciechowski, both future head coaches themselves, and Krzyzewski all praised Scheyer for his competitiveness, intelligence and love of the game, things Capel believes combined to make him a great player and coach. 

And the respect goes both ways, with Scheyer offering prior to gameday that he respects what Capel's built at Pitt and values the friendship they built on the sidelines and recruiting trail while at Duke. 

“We were a part of a lot of great teams here," Scheyer said. "My first year here as an assistant coach, 2015 national championship team and that was a pretty special run so definitely a lot of memories that year. But he’s done a great job at Pitt."

They'd rather meet as friends off the court than on it but both are appreciative of the time they were able to spend competing with, instead of against, one another. And even as they battle on the floor of the Petersen Events Center, Capel and Scheyer won't let their friendship fall to the wayside.  

"You wish you didn’t have to play each other but that’s part of it, just how it goes," Scheyer said. "Just thankful for those years at Duke together. Hopefully it made him better. I know it made me better for sure.”

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