Tyrese Proctor, a guard for Duke, has been solid this season but has occasionally been inconsistent.
Basketball greats Rodrigo Amare and Dom Fenoglio talk about what the Blue Devils will need from the junior after an Elite Eight exit in which he went scoreless: Point: Tyrese Proctor will defeat Duke in March after demonstrating his ability as a top two-way guard in his third year of play.
Proctor was one of the most talked-about members of Duke’s team heading into the 2024–25 campaign. During his sophomore slump, which was exacerbated by injury and missed time, the Australian took a step back rather than a leap forward in his second season. And a lot of the blame was pointed at the guard when the Blue Devils’ season ended against in-state rival N.C. State in the Elite Eight.
Once that game was done, Proctor wrapped a towel around his head and sat quietly in the locker room while the media interviewed the rest of the squad for its allowed time. Basketball, like all sports, is mostly a cerebral game, and he was in dire need of mental clarity.
Well, it appears that he has. Proctor’s season-high 12.0 points per game, 43.8% field-goal percentage, and 41.1% shooting percentage are all career highs. Proctor plays with the assurance of someone who has discovered his groove, particularly in the last several weeks. He never hangs his head after a miss, makes quick decisions off the dribble, and gets up without hesitation from three.
Head coach Jon Scheyer deserves a lot of credit for Proctor’s comeback. For his first two seasons at Durham, the third-year play caller had him man the point. However, he chose to shift Proctor off the ball, giving graduate guard Sion James primary responsibility for handling the ball.
This slowed Proctor’s aggression a little at the start of the year. The six-foot-six marksman would frequently linger in the corner without committing many offences. But Proctor’s game has taken off as he has become more at ease playing a complementary role, much like Jeremy Roach did the previous season.
Perhaps even more crucial to Proctor’s defensive ability is this modification. Proctor can devote more of his efforts to defence now that he is not burdened with the additional duties of point guard. Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach deserve a lot of credit for keeping Duke’s paint safe, but Proctor has contributed to a perimeter defence that frequently generates turnovers and seldom permits a clean look.
Proctor, for instance, made a triple after coming off a flare screen on the subsequent possession after coming up with a steal on the first possession of the Blue Devils’ game against Clemson. It gives him the opportunity to shine offensively once he can establish his defensive confidence.
Proctor’s maturity in the face of adversity is the last significant distinction between his sophomore and junior years. The Wake Forest game is a prime illustration. During the first 37 minutes of the game, the Sydney native had gone 1-for-11, including several missed layups. Then, with the shot clock running down to zero and only a four-point lead, Proctor almost went down for a costly turnover.
All indications were that Proctor’s errors would cause the Blue Devils to lose another game that could have been won. Instead, he calmed down and made a pivotal three-pointer with 2:15 left to give Duke a 56-49 lead.
Proctor is now a major factor in the Blue Devils’ wins rather than a contributing factor in their defeats. He’s been on a mission since that pivotal Elite Eight match. It’s a quest for pride, retribution, and redemption.
The goal is to disprove all of the critics. With a banner dangling from Cameron Indoor Stadium’s rafters, Proctor envisions the mission coming to an end. Dom Fenoglio Rebuttal: In order for Duke to properly file a title claim, Proctor needs to correct his offensive errors.
Tyrese Proctor is one of the nation’s best two-way guards and the second-best player for the Blue Devils on his best days. The junior consistently shuts down Duke’s top scorers, and his unadulterated athleticism, captivating dribbling, and variety of shotmaking skills give him a real offensive danger from any position on the court.
Since his first season, Proctor’s extraordinary talent has been apparent, raising the following query: Why hasn’t a 6-foot-6 guard with exceptional skill on both sides of the court received more attention at the top of NBA draft boards? Ultimately, following his first two years with Duke, Proctor decided to remain in Durham.
To put it plainly, Proctor’s ongoing shooting irregularities have hindered the Blue Devils’ offence overall as well as his own effectiveness throughout his time in college. His unbalanced scoring last season frequently came to a head at the worst possible times. The Sydney native notoriously missed five three-pointers and shot 0-of-9 from the field in Duke’s Elite Eight loss to N.C. State.
During the 2023–24 season, Proctor averaged just 7.3 points on 29.8% shooting and 26.7% from 3-point range in the Blue Devils’ nine losses. The relationship between Proctor’s offensive contributions and Duke’s success is clear when comparing those numbers to the losing averages of fellow guards Jeremy Roach (15.8 points, 45.7% shooting, and 50% from deep) and Jared McCain (15.2 points, 42.2% shooting, and 37.0% from behind the arc).
The strength of Duke’s offence is altered by Proctor’s shooting. Without it, the Blue Devils lose their individuality and become overly dependent on Flagg’s skills. However, Duke terrorises rival defences by maximising its spacing after the younger guard gets his shooting touch.
Duke has been fortunate to win all of the junior’s single-digit games this season due to the ACC’s peculiar vulnerability, which has allowed the Blue Devils to persevere during Proctor’s difficult spells. In March, it probably won’t be the case while against better opponents.
It’s true that most collegiate basketball players, at least those who aren’t named Flagg, struggle with offensive inconsistencies; during the 2024–25 season, the freshmen trio of Kon Knueppel, Maluach, and Isaiah Evans have all experienced ups and downs. Proctor’s experience as one of Duke’s longest-tenured players and his heightened significance for the Blue Devil offence are the reasons for the increased focus on him.
Like the old “Spider-Man” saying, “great talent comes with great responsibility.” This year, Proctor’s offensive influence will determine the Blue Devils’ postseason success. In order to prevent the negative patterns from previous years from resurfacing and defeating Duke’s hopes of winning a sixth national title, he must be at his peak when the tournament time comes.
Leave a Reply