JUST IN: Duke Basketball Calls Out ACC After Jon Scheyer’s Coach of the Year Snub

The Duke men’s basketball program publicly addressed the surprising omission of head coach Jon Scheyer from the ACC Coach of the Year honors, despite an exceptional season that saw the Blue Devils finish with a dominant 28-3 record, including an incredible 19-1 run in ACC play. Duke also secured a No. 1 ranking in the AP poll and is widely projected as a top seed in the NCAA Tournament. However, the prestigious award was instead given to Louisville’s first-year head coach, Pat Kelsey.

While Kelsey’s achievements in revitalizing a struggling Louisville program were impressive—guiding them to a 25-6 record and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2019—many analysts and fans believe that Scheyer was unfairly overlooked, given Duke’s historic dominance throughout the season.

Duke Basketball’s Social Media Response

Not one to stay silent, Duke’s official basketball X (formerly Twitter) account took to social media to express its displeasure, making a strong comparison to the past Coach of the Year snubs faced by legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski.

The post read:
“Haven’t seen a coach snubbed for ACC COTY like this since Coach K didn’t win it once over his final 22 seasons, which included 3 national titles, 10 ACC Tourney titles, 5 ACC RS (regular season) titles, and 11 30-win seasons.”

This statement underscored a longstanding trend of Duke coaches being undervalued in ACC awards voting, despite unparalleled success.

Scheyer’s Historic Season

Duke’s case for Scheyer was further bolstered by their record-breaking performance throughout the season. Under his leadership, the Blue Devils accomplished:

• 10 ACC victories by 25+ points, a feat never achieved before in conference history.
• A +434 point differential in ACC play, the largest margin by any power conference team in the last 70 years.
• The best adjusted offensive rating (129.1) by an ACC team in the last 30 years.

Duke entered the season with immense expectations, blending the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class with experienced returners and key transfers. Scheyer’s coaching ensured that the team exceeded those lofty expectations, positioning the Blue Devils as a legitimate national championship contender.

Pat Kelsey’s Impressive Case

On the other hand, Pat Kelsey was recognized for orchestrating one of the biggest turnarounds in recent college basketball history. In his first season at Louisville, he took over a team that had endured multiple losing seasons and turned them into a 25-6 squad that not only secured an NCAA Tournament bid but also reestablished Louisville as a respected force in the ACC. His ability to rebuild a faltering program in such a short period was enough to convince ACC voters to hand him the award.

Debate Over the ACC Coach of the Year Award

The debate over who truly deserved the ACC Coach of the Year award is likely to continue. While Scheyer led a historically dominant Duke team that crushed its competition, Kelsey’s remarkable program turnaround was undeniably impressive.

Regardless of the outcome, both coaches have proven to be among the best in college basketball this season—and with Duke poised for a deep NCAA Tournament run, Scheyer may yet get the ultimate validation that regular-season awards can’t provide: a national championship trophy.