Last season was the first time in 42 years that Mike Krzyzewski was not roaming the sidelines. Coach K retired after a College basketball betting run to the Final Four in 2022. New head coach Jon Scheyer had played for Duke Blue Devils Basketball on one of Coach K’s five national championship teams. Now, the program was in his hands. No matter what predictions or expectations were made, last season was going to be an unusual one in Durham. An assistant and talented recruiter in his own right, Scheyer was given the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of a legend of this sport.
2023-24 Duke Blue Devils Basketball Preview
| National Championship Odds: | +1100 |
|---|---|
| Betting Online Odds at SBG: | Click Here |
2023-24 Duke Basketball Outlook
Indeed, Jon Scheyer was no deer in the headlights and made fantastic first offshore betting impressions. Scheyer acquired the top-ranked recruiting class in the nation last season. Although Duke struggled with consistency at times early in the year, they ended the regular season on a hot note. Correlate, they won the ACC Tournament and advanced into the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
NCAABB betting factors will indeed be very different this season, but not as different as initially thought. Most of that incredible recruiting class became one-and-done’s. However, the Blue Devils got a major boost when a few of those prospects opted back in for a second season. Certainly, losing Dereck Lively II and Dariq Whitehead hurts the rotation. But these Blue Devils are in much better shape than twelve months ago.
Jon Scheyer was very busy in the offseason again. And there’s a solid slate of freshmen entering the fold this season. There’s legitimate reason to consider Duke one of the national title favorites this season. Certainly, they open the year as most people’s favorites in the ACC. Before gamblers crown them champions of anything, they must look at who’s back and who’s new on this roster. And exactly what challenges await on the schedule. Will Scheyer’s second year as head coach be truly special?
In the current climate of the Transfer Portal, it’s often impossible to perfect your rotation. Scheyer must be largely pleased with what he’ll have this season. Still, there is not exactly a plethora of experienced pieces. There are only a few upperclassmen expected to contribute, but there’s still a very solid mix of talent. First and foremost, getting that crew of sophomores back for a second season was a major offseason victory for the Blue Devils. Filipowski is a national Player of the Year candidate if he can be even better as a sophomore. However, Duke is wary of his offseason surgery and hopes for no lingering aftereffects. Unlike last year, there aren’t a plethora of young centers on this roster, and missing Filipowski could be quite detrimental.
In the backcourt, the combination of Proctor and Roach will create a nightmare for opposing teams. It could be the perfect duo, especially if Proctor can develop into more of a long-range shooter this season. Additionally, by throwing some of those new faces in the backcourt, you see why Scheyer is excited. Especially with a 5-star like McCain expected to play a major role. Last season, Filipowski was named the ACC Rookie of the Year. He became the star of Scheyer’s first recruiting class, averaging 15.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. He was the ACC Tournament MVP and played great basketball late in the year.