Duke Basketball

The Duke Blue Devils landed a major victory on the recruiting trail Thursday when point guard Caleb Foster joined their 2023 class.

Breaking: Caleb Foster, the No. 13 overall prospect in the ESPN 60 Class of 2023, has committed to @DukeMBB, per @PaulBiancardi 🏀@iamcalebfoster | @HoopStateMax pic.twitter.com/sCz86vV78h

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 16, 2021

Foster, who checks in at 6'5" and 190 pounds, attends Oak Hill Academy and is a 5-star prospect, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He is the No. 12 overall player, No. 3 point guard and No. 1 player from Virginia in his class.

Travis Branham of 247Sports noted Foster committed to Duke over Louisville, Illinois, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia and others.

Head-coach-in-waiting Jon Scheyer is continuing to lay the foundation for sustained success even after the legendary Mike Krzyzewski retires following the 2021-22 campaign. He has the No. 3 overall class in 2022, per 247Sports' composite rankings, that includes 5-star prospects Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski.

Foster is the first commitment for Scheyer's 2023 class and is someone who can step in as soon as his freshman season and operate as a floor general.

He can get out in transition, attack the basket off the bounce, pull up from mid-range and hit from the outside. He is an impressive facilitator, which will be key at Duke if he is surrounded by NBA-level talent on a nightly basis.

Foster is also a solid perimeter defender who can bother outside shooters and cut off driving lanes.

Every season is typically national championship or bust for the Blue Devils, and Scheyer may be able to live up to the pressure if he continues to recruit at such a high level.

Duke's men's basketball team has added a high-profile recruit for its 2022 class, with Jaden Schutt committing to the school Thursday. 

He announced his decision to play for the Blue Devils while speaking to Travis Branham of 247Sports:

"They just made me feel like a priority. They didn't really pressure me during the recruiting process, it didn't really feel like I was being recruited at all. It was just talking to the coaches and it felt comfortable. It was all very genuine. I believe in coach [Jon] Scheyer, his staff and their ability to help me grow as a player and as a person."

A 6'5" shooting guard at Yorkville Christian High School in Illinois, Schutt is a 4-star prospect and the No. 14 player at his position in the 2022 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. 

Schutt had received offers from a number of powerhouse programs, including Michigan State, Creighton, Iowa and Florida. 

Even though legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski has already announced he will retire after the 2021-22 season, it hasn't had an impact on recruiting for the Blue Devils. 

Brandon Jenkins of 247Sports called Schutt a "fundamentally sound player in all aspects of the game ... who can really shoot." 

Former Duke star Jon Scheyer, who has been an assistant on Krzyzewski's staff since 2014, will take over as head coach at the end of the upcoming season. 

Scheyer is already off to a fantastic start on the 2022-23 Duke roster. Schutt joins 5-star recruits Dariq Whitehead and Kyle Filipowski as players who have already committed to play in Durham, North Carolina. 

Schutt's shooting will allow him to make an instant impact for a program that has national title aspirations every year.    

Duke University announced Thursday an estimated 84 people are being treated for illnesses related to likely exposure to the bacteria Legionella while in attendance for the K Academy, an adult fantasy camp involving Blue Devils basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski, on the North Carolina campus.

The statement said none of the school's student-athletes were among those exposed to Legionella, which is not contagious, and all of the people affected are expected to make a full recovery.

"Duke infectious disease specialists have worked with federal, state and local public health officials to identify the source of the exposure, which likely occurred in a training room in the Schwartz-Butters Building," the school said.

The statement also noted a cleaning process is underway in the impacted area and there's "no continuing risk" to those on the campus.

K Academy activities took place from Aug. 11 through Aug. 15.

The event's official website calls it a "once-in-a-lifetime experience for the ultimate Duke or college basketball fan."

"Campers spend five days in Cameron Indoor Stadium where they go from opening day tryouts to Sunday's championship tournament. Along the way, campers play games on Coach K Court in Cameron and learn the inside scoop on Duke's five-time national championship program," the website states.

ESPN's Myron Medcalf noted it costs $12,500 per camper to attend the event.

The 2021 edition marked the 18th year of the K Academy. It's unclear whether the camp will continue in the future with Krzyzewski set to retire following the 2021-22 college basketball season.

Highly touted wing Dariq Whitehead committed to the Duke Blue Devils, according to ESPN's Paul Biancardi.

"Growing up, Duke has always been my dream school.”

Dariq Whitehead, No. 6 overall prospect in the ESPN 100 for the class of 2022, is heading to Duke, per @PaulBiancardi.

(🎥: @TimLangPhotos) pic.twitter.com/ZW3dhajtYh

— ESPN (@espn) August 1, 2021

Whitehead is the No. 3 small forward and sixth-best player nationally in the 2022 class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

247Sports' Jerry Meyer evaluated the Montverde Academy star last November and compared him to Jarrett Culver, who spent two years at Texas Tech prior to getting selected in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft:

"Solid size for a wing. Has quick-twitch athleticism. Fast with the basketball. Loves to attack the rim, but has a smooth jumper. Three-level scorer. Has a great pull up jumper going left. Solid ball-handler and passer who plays with awareness and instincts. Rebounds his position well. Has tremendous potential as a versatile defender."

That hesi was TOUGH‼️ He’s about to take off at Montverde 😎 @dariq_whitehead pic.twitter.com/XpQp4EgUN8

— SLAM HS Hoops (@SLAM_HS) September 16, 2020

Whitehead is poised to be the next Montverde alumnus to thrive at the next level.

D'Angelo Russell, Ben Simmons and RJ Barrett suited up for the Eagles. More recently, Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes and Day'Ron Sharpe all ranked in the top 15 of 247Sports' composite rankings for 2020 when they moved on.

The current Montverde squad still has an abundance of talent, with Whitehead, Caleb Houstan, Jalen Duren, Jalen Hood-Schifino and Langston Love leading the way. The Eagles opened 2020-21 with a 109-31 victory over North Florida Educational Institute and reeled off four more wins, all of which came by 20 points or more.

Montverde rly won by 78 POINTS last night 😶 @MVABasketball pic.twitter.com/JAG6azWVbt

— Overtime (@overtime) November 21, 2020

Although Culver has struggled with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Blue Devils will be thrilled if Whitehead replicates the Texas Tech version of Culver. The former Red Raiders star averaged 18.5 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 2018-19 en route to winning Big 12 Player of the Year.

Positional flexibility is critical at the moment. Excelling at one position generally isn't enough anymore for those at the top end of the talent pool.

Whitehead has the frame (6'6" and 190 pounds) and agility to defend either guard position and opposing 3s. He can also blow by bigger forwards or centers on switches with the ball in his hands. His two-way ability makes him perfectly suited to thrive.

Whitehead should make an immediate impact for Duke, and the only problem is he may not stick around for too long before he's off to the NBA.

That's not an unfamiliar position for head coach Mike Krzyzewski after he adapted to the times and welcomed more one-and-dones to Durham. Granted, Krzyzewski won't be around to coach Whitehead since the upcoming season will be the last of his legendary career.

Quickly announcing Jon Scheyer as Coach K's successor allowed the Blue Devils to provide plenty of clarity to prospective recruits about the next steps.

Scheyer will obviously have massive shoes to fill when he takes over, but securing Whitehead's commitment is obviously a great endorsement of his vision for the program.

Duke women's basketball coach Kara Lawson went in-depth discussing her career in an AMA session with Bleacher Report on Wednesday.

The former WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist has spent the past three years rising through the coaching ranks, including time as an assistant with the Boston Celtics and now head coach of the Blue Devils. The 40-year-old Tennessee graduate is now reportedly a candidate to replace Brad Stevens as coach of the Celtics, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic.

Lawson discussed the Celtics, her coaching career, former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and much more with B/R users.

The following is the full transcript from the AMA session.

---

@JDog44: Why did you become a coach?

I actually wanted to be a coach since when I was young. I played all sports, not just basketball since when i was a kid. I always admired the coaches I had and thought it would be really cool to teach other people. I didn’t know where i wanted coach. When I got more familiarity with the collegiate level/professional level, i thought that could be a fit too.

---

@kool: When did you first fall in love with basketball?

My best friend had a hoop. He had a flat driveway, I had a slanted driveway. We used to play every day. That’s when I fell in love with the game, just playing with my friends. I loved watching on television too. I grew up in the Jordan era so I loved watching MJ. There wasn’t a WNBA, there was women’s college, but it wasn’t on TV. I just fell in love with the game, out in the yard, out in the driveway.

---

@allorangeandblue: What is the biggest lesson you plan on teaching your players? 

The biggest responsibility of helping shape young women is empowering their minds to know they can accomplish anything in life. At Duke, we have some pretty amazing young minds. Some young women who are quite literally going to change the world. So to have an impact on them at this stage is a powerful responsibility.

---

@zeropython: What was it like coaching Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown?

JT and JB are incredible young men. Just solid all around with their approach, with their professionalism. Just as good as it gets. They’re pretty easy to relate to. They work on their game constantly. They just keep growing. Their trajectory hasn’t slowed down yet. It was really fun watching them this season as they both got to the All-Star status.

---

@Saintsguy1341: If offered, would you take the Celtics job?

I’ve done really well in my career by focusing on myself in the moment. I loved my time in Boston. I loved coaching those players. It was a special time in my life. The speculation, you can chase a lot of rabbits down a lot of holes.

---

@jshaffer33: What is your favorite coaching memory from any team you had the opportunity to work with?

The first practice, I ever led. I didn’t know what I was doing. I knew basketball, but the first time you’re a coach, it’s nerve-racking. It’s humble beginnings for all of us. That’s my first team. We were talking about it at dinner, and I told them it was the first practice I ever coached and they had no idea. With that team, we won the world cup in China. I remember walking behind them after we won, we were going back to the bus. One of the USA staff members asked me how it felt winning as a player vs. coach and I realized it actually felt better to win as a coach. The best thing about basketball is playing the game, but the best feeling I’ve had is watching my players achieve their dreams. I always thought my self achievement would be my favorite, but then when I got into coaching it shifted.

---

@hbraz98: What is your vision for the future of women’s college basketball?

My vision for our program is to be one of the elite programs in the country. When someone asks you about women’s college basketball, there are a set of schools that pop into your head. The same three or four are always in that conversation so we want Duke to be recognized not just by diehard women’s college basketball fans, but by casual sports fans. We want people to  recognize our excellence. Women’s basketball continues to grow, so hopefully that continues to happen - WNBA as well. I think we’re seeing a nice growth spurt and interest for our sport.

---

@abdulrahim1: What advice do you have for girls that may have been doubted in the world of sports?

The thing about doubt, one it never go away. When you’re fighting that, you’re fighting a losing battle. The doubt at times is useful, but it can’t be the only thing you do. It’s important to know it’s inevitable, people are going to doubt you and it’s healthy to use that as fuel, but it can’t be the only thing that fuels you. You need to give energy to your believers too. Don’t be surprised when doubt happens, but use it and channel it in the right way and make sure it’s not the only reason you’re trying to do things.

---

@JourneyMelvin: How did it feel when you found out Coach K retired?

Coach K is a legend in our sport, really in our country -- when you look at the impact he’s had on the game. I was fortunate enough to be coached by Pat Summitt, who is every bit as accomplished and impactful as Coach K was in the sport of basketball so I have a great respect for the impact he’s had, similar to the impact my college coach has. I have a lot of respect for what he’s been able to do over time. It’s hard to do something once, it’s really difficult to do it over four decades and to do it at that high level. To think about doing this for four decades and doing it at a really high level is such a high bar probably that nobody’s gonna reach. I’m excited to have another year to be around him to watch him coach and teach. I hope this last year is going to be memorable for him, one where he can be celebrated appropriately by Duke fans, by non Duke fans, really by basketball fans for what he’s meant to the game.

---

Rapid Fire

Favorite non-basketball athlete?

Mike Singletary

---

Next place you want to travel?

Japan for the Olympics - our 3 V 3 team qualified

---

Favorite food?

Breakfast food

---

Who wins this year’s NBA title?

Brooklyn

---

The piece of advice to your younger self is ____

Just don’t stress about where you think everything is going to go. It’s going to end up fine. There are moments in your career where you feel stuck, but it will work out the way it is supposed to but it doesn’t happen how you plan on all the time.

As Jon Scheyer prepares to take over as Duke's men's head basketball coach after the 2021-22 season, he's not concerned about the program potentially falling off without Mike Krzyzewski. 

Speaking to reporters during a press conference on Friday, Scheyer said the Blue Devils are "built for success" for a long time:

"I've been told many times in the last 48 hours, 'You're not supposed to be the guy that follows the guy. You're supposed to be the guy that follows the guy that follows the guy.' With that said, I am not afraid of it. This is an incredibly unique situation. Coach did mention it yesterday. This is one of one in terms of succession in how this is going to work."

On Thursday, Krzyzewski officially announced the upcoming season will be his last as Duke's head coach. 

Friday was Scheyer's introduction as Krzyzewski's successor. The 33-year-old is very familiar with the program from his time as a player and assistant under Coach K. 

Krzyzewski's shadow will linger over everything that happens with Duke's basketball program long after he retires. The 74-year-old has won 12 ACC regular-season titles, 15 ACC tournament titles and five national championships. 

Scheyer was Duke's starting point guard for four seasons from 2006-10. He was named ACC tournament MVP in 2009 and won a national title as a senior during the 2009-10 season. 

After continuing his playing career as a professional overseas, Scheyer returned to the Blue Devils as a full-time assistant coach in April 2014 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2018. He has been lauded for his recruiting efforts, which include the 2018 class that featured Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish. 

Mike Krzyzewski confirmed Thursday the 2021-22 season will be his final campaign as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils.

The 74-year-old held a press conference to announce his retirement at the conclusion of the upcoming season.

Krzyzewski engaged in a long-running tradition at Cameron Indoor Stadium by walking to the podium as Cascada's song "Everytime We Touch" played over the speaker system.

I don’t know what I was expecting but it certainly wasn’t Mike Krzyzewski entering his retirement press conference dancing to Everytime We Touch by Cascada pic.twitter.com/yfkWgMITcV

— Clara Goodwin (@ClaraGoodwinTV) June 3, 2021

Coach K said his decision to walk away has nothing to do with the potential changes to college athletics regarding name, image and likeness rules. He said he and his wife, Mickie, made the choice together.

“The reason we’re doing this is because Mickie and I have decided the journey is gonna be over in a year," he said.

As for his expectations in 2021-22, Krzyzewski hopes to end his historic career on a high note.

Coach K on next season:

"We're going to try and return this place (Duke) to what it's supposed to be. And then, we'll walk away."

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 3, 2021

Coach K on Duke in 21-22:

"I want this to be as good of a basketball team as we've had in 46 years. That's now what I'm going to focus on."

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 3, 2021

Expectations are always high for the Blue Devils, but they'll experience even more pressure next year in their last ride with Krzyzewski.

Duke looks to have a strong roster for the 2021-22 season. Its recruiting class ranks fourth in the nation in 247Sports' composite rankings, led by 5-star prospects Paolo Banchero, AJ Griffin and Trevor Keels.

The Blue Devils have a succession plan in place for Krzyzewski. Jon Scheyer, who played for Duke from 2006 to 2010 and has been an assistant coach since 2014, will take over.

"I don't want everything to end when I stop coaching," Krzyzewski said of announcing Scheyer as the next head coach. "I want it to continue."

Krzyzewski also called his dynamic with Scheyer and fellow assistant coaches Nolan Smith and Chris Carrawell "a partnership."

The 2021-22 season will mark Krzyzewski's 42nd year at Duke. His 1,170 career wins with the Blue Devils and Army are the most in Division I men's basketball history.

Krzyzewski ranks second in Division I men's history with five national titles. Only John Wooden (10) has more.

Duke is scheduled to tip off Krzyzewski's final season Nov. 9 against John Calipari and the Kentucky Wildcats at Madison Square Garden in the Champions Classic.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski might be retiring, but his press conference Thursday had an up-beat mood when he entered to Cascada's "Everytime We Touch."

Coach K walked into his retirement press conference dancing to Cascada 😅

(via @ClaraGoodwinTV)pic.twitter.com/R5rOqmz6sp

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 3, 2021

It might seem out of place for a 74-year-old to get excited about a dance song from 2006, but the track has become an anthem at Cameron Indoor Stadium for more than a decade.

The students clap along and raise their arms during the pregame version, so they decided to do the same at Thursday's event.

Duke announced Wednesday that Coach K will be stepping down as the men's basketball coach after the 2021-22 season and replaced by assistant Jon Scheyer.

The men's college basketball community was rocked to its foundation by Wednesday's news (via Stadium's Jeff Goodman) that Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski plans to retire at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Even though he's 74 years old, even though Roy Williams just retired two months ago and even though rumors of this decision had been circling for the past few weeks, that push notification still hit our phones like a bombshell.

It truly will be the end of an era.

Krzyzewski has been leading the Blue Devils since 1980. With the exception of Pete Gaudet "pinch coaching" in 1995 while Krzyzewski recovered from back surgery, odds are you can't recall having ever seen another head coach in Durham.

At the time of Coach K's hiring, there was no shot clock, there was no three-point arc, and the idea of a freshman declaring for the NBA draft—let alone the notion of building a national championship roster around multiple one-and-done players—would have glitched people's brains.

If the combination of the transfer portal boom, the "name, image and likeness" revolution and an exhausting past 15 months in a global pandemic contributed to his decision to call it quits next spring, let's not pretend it's because he's unable or unwilling to adapt. Coach K embraced more than his fair share of changing times en route to 1,170 career wins, 12 Final Fours, five national championships and five Olympic gold medals (two as an assistant; three as the head coach).

It's simply his time to move on and pass the torch to Jon Scheyer. (What a first-time head coaching gig that'll be.)

That transition is still a year away, though, and love him or hate him, Coach K is a living, breathing monolith of the sport. If you're wondering whether he belongs on the Mount Rushmore of head coaches, it's a given in men's college basketball and an intriguing conversation if you're talking the four greatest coaches of all time regardless of sport. 

But those are your two options: Love him or hate him.

That is going to make his upcoming farewell tour an unforgettable one.

Whether you follow men's college basketball religiously, or you simply swoop in on an annual basis when it's time to fill out a bracket, you invariably have a strong opinion of Krzyzewski. While he's nowhere near as polarizing as, say, Muhammad Ali, LeBron James or Tim Tebow, he's easily neck-and-neck with Bill Belichick atop the list of current head coaches for whom it is impossible to have a lukewarm point of view.

Thus, whether you revere him as the G.O.A.T. and want to watch him go for 1,200 career wins and a sixth title, or whether you think he's a petulant crybaby and want to watch him slink away after a career-ending first-round exit from the NCAA tournament, the moral of the story is you want to watch.

The transcontinental divide between the two camps of reactions to Wednesday's news—either "How will this legend ever be replaced?" or "Of course this vain dude is throwing himself a farewell tour!"—was merely the tip of the iceberg.

Krzyzewski's place in history is going to be a multiple-times-per-week debate throughout the upcoming season.

It'll start long before the Champions Classic opener against Kentucky on Nov. 9, it will build steam through the Nov. 26 game against Gonzaga, it will catch fire in the presumed regular-season finale against loathed rival North Carolina, and it will be an inextinguishable inferno for however long Duke lasts in the NCAA tournament.

By all means, feel free to start bracing yourself for it now.

Provided we're back at or close to full-capacity arenas five months from now, the secondary ticket market for each and every Duke game is going to be out of control. If people were paying thousands for the chance to see Zion Williamson for the first time a few years ago, you best believe people will be ponying up that type of dough to see Krzyzewski for the last time.

And though some may not want to see it, I appreciate Coach K's decision to run this season-long victory lap, if only because I appreciate good theatre in sports.

Not only would it have been a little messed up to sign three of the top 20 recruits in the country and leave them high and dry, but Duke is a legitimate title threat (per usual) because of that incoming class. And the prospect of Duke possibly winning it all in Krzyzewski's final year is the type of thing that could lead to increased national interest in college hoops long before March Madness—AKA the eternal struggle of our beloved niche sport.

Where things go from there in men's college basketball, I truly don't know. Winds have already been shifting swiftly as far as transfers and NIL are concerned. But high schoolers declaring for the NBA draft didn't kill the sport. The one-and-done era hasn't kill the sport. Guys playing overseas didn't kill the sport. The FBI scandal didn't kill it. It will live on beyond Krzyzewski's time on the sideline, and people will still hate Duke with the burning passion of a thousand suns—especially if Scheyer immediately flourishes.

However, there's no question that things will feel different without Coach K.

Having this concrete expiration date on his career is going to make this a season to remember.

        

Kerry Miller covers men's college basketball and college football for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @kerrancejames.

On Wednesday afternoon, Jeff Goodman of Stadium reported that legendary Duke men's basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski plans to retire following the 2021-22 season. 

Later on Wednesday, former Kansas and North Carolina head coach Roy Williams reacted to the news while talking with reporters:

Everybody knows it's coming. But Mike's been fantastic for the game of basketball, he's been fantastic for college basketball, been fantastic for the ACC. It's the greatest rivalry in sports, Duke and North Carolina basketball. He's been a good friend, he's been a guy I've respected a great deal. He made everybody bring their A-game for years and years and years." 

Part two (a bit of an overlap) @FO_Sports pic.twitter.com/pgvwABJt87

— Chapel Fowler (@chapelfowler) June 2, 2021

Krzyzewski, 74, took over as Duke's head coach in 1980 and has gone on to lead the men's basketball program to 1,097 wins (the most in Division I history), five national championships, 12 Final Four appearances, 12 regular-season ACC championships and 15 conference tournament titles. Under his watch, Duke has developed 28 NBA lottery picks. 

He also led the U.S. men's national team to gold medals in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. 

"He's just been phenomenal in everything he's done. The only thing wrong with Mike Krzyzewski is he doesn't play golf," Williams joked. "That's the only thing wrong with him."

Krzyzewski and Williams have had more than a few battles over the years, especially after the latter took over as North Carolina's head coach in 2003. Since then, Duke and North Carolina have combined for 12 regular-season titles (three for Duke, nine for UNC) and 11 conference tournament titles (eight for Duke, three for UNC). 

The ACC will have a different feel without the two men at the helm of the conference's flagships schools, with ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reporting Wednesday that Duke associate head coach Jon Scheyer is the favorite to replace Coach K:

Duke talked to outside candidates about replacing Krzyzewski, including Harvard coach Tommy Amaker, sources tell ESPN. Scheyer is Duke's choice to replace K. He was the lead recruiter on such stars as Jayson Tatum and Zion Williamson. https://t.co/6PPi8gVZT8

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 2, 2021

Hubert Davis is the new head coach at North Carolina, and Williams told reporters he believes the two schools will continue to be dominant forces, even with new leadership. 

"Well, it'll be different. ... But you know, Vic Bubas and Dean Smith left, and Duke and North Carolina were still pretty good," he said. "And Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski leave and it's still going to be pretty good in this area."