# BREAKING: Tyrese Proctor Opens Up on Emotional Decision to Stay at Duke and Stick with Coach Jon Scheyer Through Adversity
DURHAM, N.C. — In a heartfelt sit-down interview ahead of the 2025-26 season preparations, former Duke Blue Devils guard Tyrese Proctor broke his silence on one of the most scrutinized decisions in recent college basketball history: why he chose to return to Duke for his junior year in 2024-25 instead of entering the NBA Draft or transferring after a challenging sophomore campaign. The Australian sharpshooter, now preparing for his professional career after being selected No. 49 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2025 NBA Draft, revealed that unwavering loyalty to head coach Jon Scheyer and a deep belief in unfinished business were the driving forces behind his commitment.
“It wasn’t easy,” Proctor told reporters in an exclusive session at Cameron Indoor Stadium on November 19, 2025. “After that Elite Eight loss to NC State where I went 0-for-9, the noise was loud. People were saying transfer, go pro, get out. But Coach Scheyer never wavered on me, even when I was doubting myself. He was honest from day one — brutal honesty — and that built trust. I stayed because I believed in what he was building, and I wasn’t ready to walk away from the brotherhood we had at Duke.”
Proctor’s revelation comes months after his electric junior season propelled Duke to the Final Four, where his scorching shooting — including a tournament stretch where he averaged 17 points on over 64% from three — silenced critics and showcased the maturity that NBA scouts now rave about. But the path to that breakout wasn’t linear. As a highly-touted recruit from the NBA Global Academy, Proctor reclassified to join Duke in 2022, arriving a year early at Scheyer’s urging just weeks after the new head coach took over from legend Mike Krzyzewski.
That decision thrust the then-18-year-old into the spotlight during Scheyer’s debut season. Proctor showed flashes as a freshman, averaging 9.4 points and leading the team in assists at times, but inconsistencies followed in year two: 10.5 points per game, shooting slumps, and that infamous scoreless night against the Wolfpack in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
“In this era, it’s transfer or leave the second things get tough,” Proctor said. “But I grew up playing for the same club team in Sydney — the Sutherland Sharks — from age 12 to 18. Loyalty was ingrained in me. When sophomore year hit rock bottom, I thought about my roots. Transferring felt like quitting on family. And Coach Scheyer? He became family. He called me personally in May 2022 to reclass, promised he’d develop me the right way. Sticking with him felt right.”
The bond between Proctor and Scheyer became one of the defining stories of the 2024-25 season. In March 2025, after Proctor dropped a career-high seven threes in a second-round NCAA Tournament rout of Baylor, Scheyer famously choked up in the postgame press conference, tears welling as he discussed their shared journey.
“I think it’s what I’m most proud of… the journey Tyrese and I have been on,” Scheyer said at the time, pausing to compose himself. “Because it’s harder to go through those journeys now. He could have left after year one, year two. But he doubled down. For this to happen for Tyrese… if I’m an NBA team, I’m going after him because you have to handle adversity.”
Proctor, now 21 and signed to a four-year, $8.69 million rookie deal with the Cavaliers, reflected on that emotional moment: “Seeing Coach cry like that? It validated everything. He believed in me when my shots weren’t falling, when the fans were frustrated. He pushed me in practice, showed me film until 2 a.m., told me straight up what I needed to fix — my hesitation, my defense, staying off social media to block the noise. I cut Twitter completely that offseason. Best decision ever.”
Proctor’s return paid dividends not just for his draft stock — rising from a potential late-second-rounder or undrafted free agent to a guaranteed contract — but for Duke’s program stability. As the only holdover scholarship player from Scheyer’s inaugural recruiting class into year three, Proctor became the veteran leader on a roster loaded with freshmen phenoms like Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel.
“I wanted to be the guy who bridged the eras,” Proctor explained. “From Coach K’s last team to Scheyer’s first recruits. Leaving early would have felt selfish. Plus, NIL money was solid, but it wasn’t about that. It was proving to myself I could handle the pressure at Duke. Everyone’s journey is different — some one-and-done, some transfer every year. Mine was grinding through the lows.”
Scheyer, entering his fourth season at Duke amid another top-ranked recruiting class, echoed Proctor’s sentiments in a statement released Wednesday: “Tyrese sticking with us showed what our program is about. In today’s game, loyalty like that is rare. He grew into an All-ACC player, a tournament assassin, and most importantly, a Duke man for life. Proud doesn’t cover it.”
Proctor’s junior stats — 12.4 points, 40.5% from three, elite perimeter defense on a Final Four team — made him a second-round lock, but he insists the intangibles forged in Durham will define his NBA career.
“Adversity at Duke prepared me more than any workout,” he said. “Cleveland’s getting a guy who knows how to stay when it’s hard. That’s what Coach Scheyer taught me.”
As Proctor heads to Cleveland to join a contender alongside Donovan Mitchell and Evan Mobley, his story serves as a throwback in the transfer-portal era: a top recruit who bet on a young coach, weathered the storm, and emerged stronger. Duke Nation won’t forget the Aussie who chose loyalty — and in doing so, helped solidify Jon Scheyer’s foundation in Durham.
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