Duke basketball has sophomore among captains, and a freshman broke a Zion Williamson record

A year after getting accustomed to living in America full time — in addition to the rigors of college basketball — Tyrese Proctor is on solid footing for his second season at Duke.

The Australian point guard is comfortable on the court, where he’ll be one of three captains for the Blue Devils in his sophomore season.

That’s something only three previous sophomores — Greg Paulus and Josh McRoberts in 2006-07, Tre Jones in 2019-2020 — have been in program history.

This year’s Duke team selected Proctor along with last year’s captain, senior guard Jeremy Roach, and graduate student center Ryan Young as tri-captains.

Blue Devils in the community

Proctor is also reaching out in the Durham community, be it visiting patients at Duke Children’s Hospital or bringing a new teammate along to visit school-age children at the Boys and Girls Club on Durham’s Martin Luther King Boulevard.

“For me, one of the biggest things is giving back,” the 19-year-old Proctor said Wednesday while visiting the Boys and Girls Club to help distribute backpacks and school supplies to after-school program participants. “I think just giving back to underprivileged kids and kids, you know, who have hopes and dreams just like I did at one time is really important. I couldn’t be more excited.”

Sean Stewart accompanied Proctor on Wednesday. A 6-9 freshman from Windermere, Florida, Stewart had done community events like this as a high school student.

“When I was young, I loved basketball and I loved seeing the older kids in my community come back and help younger kids in our community,” the 18-year-old Stewart said. “So I love being in position now to use my platform to help these kids out.”

But this felt different, he said, as he collaborated with one of his new team’s leaders.

“Just a little bit back home,” Stewart said, “but nothing like this where it’s, like, me and Tyrese’s own type of event.”

Zion Williamson record falls

Stewart may be new to the Blue Devils but he quickly made a name for himself this month by breaking a record previously held by current New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson. Stewart recorded a standing vertical leap of 36 inches, topping Williamson’s 35.5-inch leap that previously set the program record in 2018.

“I’ve always been able to jump high,” Stewart said. “But I didn’t know that I would be able to break his record.”

Stewart nearly matched the record on a previous jump, so he thought he might be able to get it this time.

“I knew maybe, the next time coming in, I could break it,” Stewart said. “So that was my goal. When I did that, it was really exciting.”

Proctor, Stewart and the rest of the Blue Devils started full practices for the new season on Monday. They’d been working together in off-season practices since June. But, now, it’s full go in preparation for the Nov. 6 season-opening game with Dartmouth at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Stronger for 2023-24

After playing in all 36 games for the Blue Devils last season, starting 34 of them, Proctor has worked hard to improve his body to build on last season’s production, which saw him average 9.4 points and 3.3 assists per game.

“I got a lot stronger,” Proctor said. “My upper body has gotten a lot stronger. In being able to handle pressure more, being stronger is going to help me. I think I’ve gotten a lot more explosive and quicker.”

His offseason included two trips back home to see his family in Australia. His mother and sister surprised him with a return visit to Durham this week.

Proctor is fully prepared for not only what’s expected to be a stellar Duke basketball season, but one where his role is enhanced.

“I just came back ready to lead this group into year two,” he said.