The Duke Blue Devils are heading to the Final Four, a familiar destination for the program but a relatively new experience for the current roster. Only Mason Gillis, who played in the National Championship game with Purdue last season, has prior Final Four experience. However, head coach Jon Scheyer is no stranger to this stage. Scheyer has now achieved the rare feat of reaching the Final Four as a player, assistant coach, and head coach, joining Dick Harp (Kansas) and Hubert Davis (North Carolina) as the only individuals in NCAA Tournament history to accomplish this with their alma mater. His achievement places him among an even more exclusive group of eight, including Vic Bubas, Billy Donovan, Bob Knight, Bones McKinney, Dean Smith, Harp, and Davis, who have reached the Final Four as both a player and a head coach. Notably, five of these individuals have done so with an ACC school.

"San Antonio sounds great," Scheyer said with excitement after Duke's dominant 85-65 victory over Alabama. "Couldn't be more excited and happy for these guys."

This Final Four marks a significant transition for Duke, as it will be their first without the legendary Mike Krzyzewski at the helm since 1978. However, Scheyer acknowledges Coach K's enduring influence on the program's continued success. "I don't know how many coaches genuinely want to see the program succeed when they leave," Scheyer noted, emphasizing his commitment to honoring Krzyzewski's legacy. "And for me, I've always wanted to make him proud. I want his legacy to be how our program continues to be right there as a top program, and that's something Coach K and I have talked a lot about. So obviously there's a responsibility you feel and a pride."

No. 1 Duke is set to face No. 1 Houston in San Antonio. Scheyer expressed his gratitude for the support he has received, stating, "I just couldn't be more proud and thankful for having a group that's believed in me, us, the support from our administration, just down the line, has been incredible. I'm really proud of the people that have believed in me and us to get to a Final Four."

In other news, Nate Ament, a highly-touted five-star prospect from the 2025 class, is scheduled to announce his college commitment. Ament, a versatile forward, is considering Duke, Louisville, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Arkansas. The Blue Devils have been considered a strong contender for Ament, especially given his friendship with current Duke commit Shelton Henderson, another five-star prospect. Ament will make his announcement at the McDonald's All-American game in Brooklyn, New York.

Ament, standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing 185 pounds, is ranked as the #4 overall player and the #2 power forward in the 247Sports Composite Rankings for the 2025 class. Duke extended an offer to Ament following an unofficial visit in September 2023, and he has since visited Durham twice, including an official visit for Countdown to Craziness and another during Duke's game against North Carolina.

"They've probably been recruiting me for the longest of the five," Ament said about Duke. "But, you know, it's great to see that, one, they're winning with freshman players, and they're one of the top teams in the nation, not just offensively but defensively, and they're able to do it with a lot of firepower."

Current Duke commits, players, and even alumni have been actively recruiting Ament on social media. The Boozer twins, both committed to Duke, have playfully interacted with Ament on Instagram, urging him to choose the Blue Devils. Even former Duke star Jared McCain chimed in, jokingly expressing his disapproval when Ament visited Arkansas. Duke currently boasts the #1 overall recruiting class according to 247Sports, featuring the Boozer twins, Shelton Henderson, and Nikolas Khamenia. The Blue Devils are aiming to further strengthen their frontcourt by adding Ament to their impressive recruiting haul. His decision is eagerly anticipated.