Coach Mike Krzyzewski and Duke will be barring NBA teams from attending practices starting this season, according to The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In lieu of open practices, the team will hold two pro days instead.
The two pro days will be on October 19th and 25th. The date for the second pro day is a strange choice which has baffled some within the league, according to Woj. It happens to coincide with the NBA’s opening night. Additionally, unlike other programs (such as Kentucky), the pro days will not be on consecutive dates, forcing scouts to make two trips.
The first pro day will mainly focus on skill work and drills. The second will be a scrimmage including referees. Both will occur at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
This is the first time Duke is venturing into the Pro Day format rather than having open practices.
As usual, Duke has several NBA prospects on its roster. Draft Express lists two of them (Harry Giles and Jayson Tatum) in the top five of its 2017 mock and another (Grayson Allen) at 25.
Duke’s decision, likely stipulated by Mike Krzyzewski, is probably aimed for creating less distractions at practices. Giving two specific days for all scouts to see how players perform in drills and scrimmages should allow the Blue Devils plenty of focus for the rest of their season.
