Back in May, the conventional thought process went like this: If Gerald Henderson stayed for his senior season, or if John Wall decided to grace Duke with his sensational talent, the Blue Devils would have a good shot at their first Final Four berth since 2004. With both, they could be the odds-on favorite for the national championship. But with neither? After Henderson opted for the NBA draft and Wall joined John Calipari's traveling NBA-prep show, what's left is a whole lot of questions-which makes Jon Scheyer's role all the more critical.
As a rookie, Scheyer stepped right into the starting shooting guard role vacated by National Player of the Year J.J. Redick. It culminated in Scheyer's season-high 26 points against North Carolina in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Yet Scheyer was assigned 6th man duties as a sophomore, a demotion he accepted without fuss. His junior season, Scheyer made a key, late-season shift to the point guard spot. From there, he catapulted Duke to the ACC Tournament title as the Tournament's MVP.
And now?
When Duke ousted Texas from the NCAA Tournament in March, Henderson embraced his leadership responsibility as one of the Blue Devils' best players. Most would have handed him the ball right then and trusted him to go forth and score (1-for-14 in the Villanova Sweet 16 loss hadn't happened yet). Such is the impact of having that kind of leader.
Now, two of last season's captains have gone, and Duke needs someone to fill their shoes. Who's going to lead the next squad? Kyle Singler? Too soft-spoken. Lance Thomas? Hasn't proven a consistent scorer. Brian Zoubek? Too likely to have playing time usurped by shiny new freshmen. Nolan Smith? Replaced at his own position last year. Which leaves Jon Scheyer.
In some ways, the senior is an obvious choice, and in other ways, he's not at all. He's often understated and overlooked, and played most of last season behind Henderson, his flashier co-captain. Hell, when Scheyer went for 30-a career-high-against Wake Forest this February, Henderson bested him with 35 in the same game.
But come November, Scheyer will be the only holdover captain. Finishing third in scoring last season, Scheyer rose to the occasion when put at the point in the last 12 games. That's a position he will resume in the upcoming season, a prospect Scheyer feels good about. "I think with those [12] games at the end of the year under my belt, and playing [point guard] some before, it's a really natural thing for me to do," Scheyer told TOWERVIEW. "To be honest with you, at this point I would rather play point. I like having the ball in my hands and I feel I make good decisions."
Reestablishing himself at the point is hardly his only challenge. Scheyer must do it on the biggest Duke team he's played on by far. And he'll have to lead a squad that now has only three guards to speak of.
"For me, whether it be this year or next year, I've always done the best I can to be a leader," Scheyer said. "That's the way it was last year with there being three captains.. For the [other] seniors, Lance and Zoubek, they know what it takes and they're going to be right there with me."
Fair or not, their success will be judged against a lofty standard created by years of extraordinary Blue Devil accomplishments. Scheyer knows what kind of pressure can come along with those expectations, undoubtedly aware that his class, now entering its last year, has not yet beat the Tar Heels at home, let alone make a Final Four run. It's Scheyer's final challenge.
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