{"id":1500277,"date":"2022-04-06T11:37:55","date_gmt":"2022-04-06T15:37:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1500277"},"modified":"2022-04-06T16:07:40","modified_gmt":"2022-04-06T20:07:40","slug":"jon-scheyer-duke-another-departure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/jon-scheyer-duke-another-departure\/","title":{"rendered":"Jon Scheyer's First Season In Charge of Duke Just Got Even Tougher With the Loss of Nolan Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With the 2021-22 college basketball season officially over, the Mike Krzyzewski era has come to an end<\/a>. Since 1980, Coach K has been the face of the Duke Blue Devils<\/a>. Now, it's Jon Scheyer's turn to take over the iconic program. While it goes without saying that he's in for a challenge, the new head coach's first season may have already gotten tougher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next fall, Scheyer will have to lean on his staff; he simply doesn't have 40-plus years of experience like his predecessor. One of those trusted lieutenants looked to be Nolan Smith, but, according to a recent report, that won't be the case anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be easy to say assistant coaches don't really<\/em> matter, but for Scheyer, the change is an early challenge he didn't need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coach K has been stealing the headlines, but Nolan Smith is reportedly leaving Duke <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Jon
Jon Scheyer (L) and Nolan Smith (R) talk before a 2019 Duke game. | Grant Halverson\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As you might expect, Coach K's loss to North Carolina and subsequent retirement have dominated the Duke news cycle. While that's understandable, it also overshadowed another potential departure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the Associated Press (h\/t USA Today<\/a>), Nolan Smith will be leaving Durham to become an associate head coach at Louisville. While the move is yet to be officially confirmed by either school, the dots are there to be connected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cardinals have a new head coach, Kenny Payne, and need to assemble a staff around him. Smith has personal ties to Louisville — his late father played there — and, beyond any sentimentality, the job would represent a promotion. The former Blue Devils guard most recently was an assistant coach at Duke, officially joining the coaching staff in 2021 after serving as director of basketball operations and player development. This role would move him another step up the ladder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In theory, there's still time for a last-second audible; plenty of deals have fallen through after reaching the media. The AP report, however, states that Smith has already informed Duke of his decision, seemingly sealing his departure from Durham.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jon Scheyer's life just got tougher with the loss of Nolan Smith <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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