Duke Basketball: 2023-24 season preview for the Blue Devils
By Joey Loose
No matter what predictions or expectations were made, last season was going to be an unusual one in Durham. It was the first time in 42 years that Mike Krzyzewski was not roaming the sidelines, having retired after a run to the Final Four in 2022. New head coach Jon Scheyer had played for Duke Basketball, on one of Coach K’s five national championship teams, but now the program was in his hands.
An assistant and talented recruiter in his own right, Scheyer was given the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of a legend of this sport. However, Scheyer was no deer in the headlights and made fantastic first impressions, bringing the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation in last season. While Duke struggled with consistency at times early in the year, they ended the regular season on a hot note, won the ACC Tournament, and advanced into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Things will be very different this season, but not as different as initially thought. Most of that incredible recruiting class became one-and-done’s, though the Blue Devils got a major boost when a few of those prospects opted back in for a second season. Losing Dereck Lively II and Dariq Whitehead certainly hurts the rotation, but these Blue Devils are in much better shape than twelve months ago.
Scheyer was very busy in the offseason again and there’s a solid slate of freshman entering the fold this season. There’s legitimate reason to consider Duke one of the national title favorites this season; they’ll certainly open the year as most people’s favorites in the ACC. Before we crown them champions of anything, we’re going to take a look at who’s back and who’s new on this roster and just exactly what challenges await on the schedule. Will Scheyer’s second year as head coach be truly special?