Duke Basketball HC Jon Scheyer Thankful for ‘Uplifting’ Transfer

Sure, Caleb Foster has the most Duke basketball experience among the 2026-27 Blue Devils, having played in 98 games across his first three seasons in Durham under now-fifth-year head coach Jon Scheyer. But don’t discount the leadership value of another senior in former three-year Wisconsin guard John Blackwell, who arrived on campus this summer with 105 collegiate outings under his belt, including the past 71 as a full-time starter between his sophomore and junior years with the Badgers.

Just one game into Duke’s preseason slate, Scheyer has already recognized the admirable degree of mentorship that the 21-year-old Blackwell brought with him to Duke.

“John is the same way all the time,” Scheyer remarked toward the end of his press conference following the Blue Devils’ 102-62 home scrimmage win over Belmont on Thursday night. “He’s not afraid. He’s been a great connector for us, which has been a great thing, which I thought we were getting. But the way he is with our young guys, he’s uplifting, which I think is important, especially at our place.”

Advertisement

Blackwell shined on the court in his Duke basketball debut against an opponent. Across his team-high 26 minutes as a starter, the 6-foot-5, 205-pound elite bucket-finder tallied 17 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal, shooting 5-for-10 from the field, 2-for-6 beyond the arc, and 5-for-5 at the charity stripe. Simply put, the 2025-26 All-Big Ten Third Team selection once again demonstrated the scoring prowess that made him one of the top talents in the transfer portal.

However, Blackwell’s value to the team, which also features a heralded handful of scholarship rookies, extends to behind the scenes, as Scheyer attested.

“I think he’s a guy people go to off the court,” the 39-year-old Scheyer said. “And he’s been through a lot of these battles. It’s nice to have a guy who has played in the Big Ten and played against the best team – and not just played but won…And he’s going to continue to carry that over…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/duke-basketball-hc-jon-scheyer-205612800.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-10-11 20:56:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.