During media day, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer reflected on the offseason, specifically hosting alumni to train with current Blue Devils. While Scheyer was appreciative of all alumni who returned to campus, like Paolo Banchero, Jayson Tatum, Cooper Flagg, Jabari Parker and Jared McCain, one particular name stuck in Scheyer's head, Kyrie Irving.
"When I left Duke, I had an eye injury, and I came back to Duke in the fall to just retrain and try to get my bearings again," Scheyer said. "And the coaches put me in an individual workout, and they put me in there against Kyrie. In retrospect, I said, 'Screw you guys.' But against Kyrie, I was trying to regain my confidence. It was like the worst thing I could have done. So I'm watching Kyrie play, and they gave
me flashbacks to that moment about 15 years ago where I'm trying to guard Kyrie."
After winning an NCAA title with Duke, Scheyer was working toward the NBA before suffering a career-altering eye injury during the 2010 NBA Summer League showcase. After a short-lived professional career overseas, Scheyer returned to Duke as a coach. Irving, on the other hand, would land with the Cleveland Cavaliers as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft despite playing just 11 games with the Blue Devils.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke's Jon Scheyer recalls facing Kyrie Irving one-on-one
