Duke’s backcourt has been outstanding this season, showcasing the skill and leadership needed to guide the Blue Devils to a national championship.
With a 23-3 overall record and a dominant 15-1 mark in ACC play, Duke has been nearly unstoppable, winning nine of its last ten games. The lone setback came in a 77-71 road loss to Clemson, marking the team’s first defeat in conference play and away from home.
During this impressive stretch, the Blue Devils have averaged over 82 points per game. Their offense has been highly efficient, assisting on 59% of their made baskets—ranking them among the nation’s top 40 in that category, according to KenPom.
A major driving force behind Duke’s success has been its exceptional guard play. The duo of Tyrese Proctor and Sion James has developed into one of the top backcourts in the country, with the potential to lead a championship run.
Proctor struggled late in January, averaging just 6.6 points per game while shooting 27.5% from the field over Duke’s final five games of the month. However, his resurgence in February has been nothing short of remarkable.
In Duke’s six games this month, Proctor has been among the nation’s top-performing guards, averaging 17.3 points per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 47.5% from beyond the arc. He has scored 20 or more points twice during this stretch, displaying renewed confidence and seizing every opportunity defenses give him.
James, on the other hand, doesn’t force his scoring but thrives as a physical, 6-foot-6, 220-pound playmaker. His ability to penetrate the defense and distribute the ball has made him a standout in the drive-and-kick game and a force in pick-and-roll situations.
Over the past 10 games, the Tulane transfer has recorded 40 assists while committing just seven turnovers, boasting an impressive 5.7-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Since James was inserted into the starting lineup earlier this season, he and Proctor have formed one of the most experienced and intelligent guard duos in the country.
“You talk about the ‘dog mentality’—I think those guys (Proctor and James) have just been competitive and tough, and the rest follows from there,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said after Duke’s dominant 106-70 win over Stanford. “They’ve been really selfless, but they know when to be aggressive. I believe we are building continuity as our players learn to play together.”
Duke’s backcourt has been among the nation’s best this season. With Proctor and James leading the way through their skill, intelligence, and experience, this duo has all the makings of a championship-caliber backcourt capable of guiding the Blue Devils to national glory this April.
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