Jon Scheyer faces task of replacing Nolan Smith
Nolan Smith's departure from Duke is certainly a big blow, and Jon Scheyer now faces the task of hiring two new assistants.
Rising star.
That’s how now former Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski described Nolan Smith when he hired him as an assistant coach in April of 2021. The promotion to a full assistant came after serving as a special assistant and most recently director of basketball operations and player development.
Krzyzewski spoke glowingly of Smith at that time and still does. So, too, did and does Smith’s close friend, former teammate and fellow coach Jon Scheyer.
They were not the only ones who saw promise in Smith’s future as a coach.
Memphis tried to hire him away in 2020. Now, Louisville has pulled it off, luring the former Blue Devil star as a player, and budding one on the sidelines, away from a place he holds dear to his heart.