In April, Jon Scheyer sensed his playing days were possibly nearing an end, and he wondered if the next chapter of his career was ready to begin.

With his career at a crossroads, Scheyer called Mike Krzyzewski.

“I called just to see what Coach thought about me coaching,” Scheyer said, “and he could tell I was ready. He told me he would love to have me back here.

“This is a career I want to pursue and I’m excited to do that. I’ve hung up the shoes for now.”

One day later, Scheyer called him back and said, “Let’s do it.”

The former All-American point guard left Duke on top of the world, cutting down the nets after winning the 2010 national championship his senior season. But just a few months later he suffered an eye injury, which still plagues him to this day and kept him from latching on to any professional teams.

Conveniently, former assistant Chris Collins left Duke in late March to be Northwestern’s head coach. Now, Scheyer’s path to one day becoming a head coach himself is underway as a special assistant for the No. 17 Blue Devils (17-4, 6-2 Atlantic Coast).

“Everyone’s really embraced me coming back, which has meant a lot to me,” said Scheyer, now 26 years old. “I feel Duke is a very special place, so the fact I was able to play here and now work here is something I’m really, really grateful for.”

He’s there every day at practice, but he’s not involved with coaching players on the floor. But once the Duke coaches hold their meetings to game plan, Scheyer has an established voice in the room.

It’s been a learning process for Scheyer. The coaches are starting to mold him, and have taught him the ways they scout, edit and analyze film. He didn’t realize just how much work is required of a coach until he became one.

“The biggest thing I’ve been learning from those guys is it’s a different art form,” Scheyer said.

His biggest joy from his new position has been talking to the players and seeing those same players thrive on the hardwood.

It’s the same selfless attitude Scheyer had as the team’s point guard and captain just a few years ago, as he rounds out a coaching staff that includes four former Blue Devil captains.

“Most teams have captains but to be quite frank, at some places I don’t know how serious it is,” associate coach Jeff Capel said. “Here, it’s a pretty big deal.”

Scheyer can relate to the current players better than the rest of the coaching staff. It was just four years ago that Scheyer ran the point for a program he called “the most high-profile place in the country.”

Now he can easily connect with and remind the team of the high expectations that come with joining such a highly regarded program.

“He tries to give back his knowledge of what he took from the game and help our guards out right now,” said shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon. “He’s always giving us feedback and advice to become better.”

After Scheyer won the national title, he went undrafted and never signed a guaranteed contract.

He was playing with the Miami Heat’s summer league team when a defender took a swipe for the ball and instead got Scheyer’s right eye, essentially ending his NBA hopes.

The injury required five stitches to close a cut on his right eyelid. Surgery was required to reattach his torn retina, but damage to his optic nerve couldn’t be repaired.

His playing confidence took a hit as he adjusted to wearing protective goggles on the court. Scheyer had opportunities with three NBA franchises, but none worked out. He tried a stint in Israel and was even satisfied with his play last year in Spain.

But Scheyer felt it was time for a change, and Krzyzewski’s staff at Duke had a hole to fill.

“By the time it was said and done after playing for a few years,” Scheyer said, “I was really proud of what I was able to do. But I was ready to coach.

“I kind of feel like those things happened in order for me to come back this year.”

Published on January 31, 2014 at 3:55 am

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