Mike Krzyzewski reveals how he'll continue to help Duke, Jon Scheyer following retirement

New Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has massive shoes to fill following the retired Mike Krzyzewski. While Scheyer has been groomed to take the lead once Coach K stepped down, losing an all-time basketball figure is quite the act to follow. With that said, Krzyzewski says he’ll undoubtedly be around to help him however he needs it.

In a recent appearance on ‘College Hoops Today’ with Jon Rothstein, Krzyzewski says they’ve always had a great connection. It’s that bond and his preparation of Scheyer last season that will have he and his new program up to the task.

“We have an unbelievable relationship. We spent the entire year having talks. Not just about what that team was doing but what I was thinking at that time. Just a lot of impromptu talks,” said Krzyzewski. “My feeling is just to give him the space he needs to run his program.”

With that said, he’ll face even more challenges than just taking over for a legend. The 2022 NBA Draft featured five Blue Devils selections. A handful of others left the program through graduation or the transfer portal. That’s not even to mention the new terrain of college athletics. Still, Krzyzewski says their connections combined with Scheyer’s touch will make for a smooth transition.

“Obviously there’s gonna be a lot of similarities because of the culture and style of play,” he said. “He has 11 new guys on a 13 man roster and has a new staff. He has put his own imprint on it and I am here to help him.”

While Krzyzewski won’t be on the sidelines anymore, his presence won’t be completely absent. A figure of his stature can’t completely disappear. With that in mind, he says he’s going to help join the effort in fundraising for the Blue Devil program. He may not be on the bench but he wants to do everything he can to support Scheyer in his new role.

“We have a legacy fund which raises millions of dollars in support of our program. I’ll be doing a lot more with that,” said Krzyzewski. “Jon knows I’m here.”

Krzyzewski trusts Scheyer to keep the program at the incredibly high bar he set. While he’ll still be around, it appears Scheyer will be allowed on his own into this new era of Duke basketball.