Earlier this morning, the Duke women's basketball program announced that Joy Cheek would be returning this season as an assistant coach. Cheek spent the last year playing professionally in the WNBA and overseas after a standout Blue Devil career. She is one of 26 Duke players to ever score more than 1,000 career points and ranks 12th all-time with 679 career rebounds. Cheek spoke with The Chronicle earlier this afternoon to discuss what sparked her decision to become a coach.
The Chronicle: What was behind your decision to rejoin the Duke program as a coach?
Joy Cheek: I always wanted to get into coaching. It was something I wanted to do after I got done playing. I didn't expect an opportunity to come up as soon as it did, but it was just one I couldn't pass up. It's nice to come back to Duke where I played, a place that I love, and I benefited from so much. I just want to see our program continue to do well, and I wanted to add to that however I could.
TC: Since Coach McCallie didn't recruit you directly [McCallie arrived before Cheek's sophomore year], as a player, what was your relationship like with her?
JC: She and I had a really good relationship. When she came I was a sophomore, but I've always been pretty vocal so if I had questions, if I had an issue... we always looked to each other. So we had a really good relationship when I was at Duke and she coached me.
TC: What new qualities do you think you'll bring to the Duke program as a coach?
JC: I'm the only coach on our staff who is a graduate of Duke and played here... Coach P came from Michigan State. So with that, especially with recruiting, I'll be able to sell our school and sell Coach P. I mean, I understand Coach P after having played under her, but I think that's going to be a big thing, selling our university and selling our program, and knowing firsthand. I think that's an added plus. And also, playing professionally, Coach [Al] Brown is an expert with the WNBA... but I can bring a playing aspect because I made it to that level, playing professionally in the WNBA, and also overseas. We're going to have players on our team [at Duke] who have a greater chance than I ever had to make it to the WNBA. I can help them along with way with their workouts, scheduling, how you have to be prepared for everything, how training camp works, your focus towards the game, because as well as playing well to help your team you're also auditioning for your next gig, whatever it is after college, whether that is off the court or on the court, and I've had a chance to do both. That's what I hope to bring to the team, it's my experience professionally and then from a recruiting standpoint.
TC: Does your decision to begin coaching mean you're effectively retiring as a player?
JC: Yeah, this is a full-time position, so I'm not longer playing basketball.
TC: So you have no plans to return to professional basketball as a player?
JC: No, not at all.
TC: What will be your specific role as a recruiter?
JC: It's full court. I mean, it's all recruiting. I can't say anything, especially since I don't know much myself, but September is a time we can make phone calls, reach out to players, we'll see them on campus, they'll work out at practices. We'll have players come in for their official visits, or unofficial visits, all those types of things. I mean, there's a bunch of things you can do recruiting-wise that take place in the fall. So, [recruiting will] be the first, and the biggest, thing.... Then, practices will start and then we'll get to games, but there's still some recruiting mixed in with that, so it's coming really quickly.
TC: You'll be back at Duke coaching some of your old teammates. How do you expect your relationship with them to change?
JC: It's not uncomfortable at all. I'm comfortable with them and I hope they'll be comfortable with me. I'm not here to, you know, lay into them and yell at them and scream at them because that's not the type of player I was. Since as a player, as a teammate, I wasn't like that. I won't be that type of coach, but sometimes I'll probably be commanding of them. It is different from being a player and a teammate than being a coach. There's a line that's drawn, but I'm here for them. I'm here to help our players be better players and to help our program, so however that needs to be done, that's my job. So there's no longer a teammate relationship but a player-coach relationship. I think it'll be fine; I don't think that's a hard transition.
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