The Summer Is Slow But This Was Ridiculous

Nolan Smith is not turning on Jon Scheyer

You guys have probably heard about the tempest in a teapot with Nolan Smith. The People’s Champion, who moved to Louisville after Kenny Payne called him home from Duke, made a crack about coaches going to the draft. Here’s the exact quote:

“I will never go to the draft as a coach unless my player personally invites me and says Coach.. I want you there! Draft night is about the player and his family!!! Its not a photo op for me to post on IG to help with recruiting“

A lot of people read that and thought, oh snap! He’s ragging on Jon Scheyer.

He’s not ragging on Jon Scheyer.

He’s ragging on Kentucky’s John Calipari, who has made attending the draft just part of his summer plans.

You may or may not remember this, but when Smith left Duke, or when he was considering it, he said something like “I have to go talk to that man first,” meaning his now-retired coach Mike Krzyzewski.

You know, the guy who helped Smith win a national championship. With Jon Scheyer. With both playing very heavy minutes.

No, what that was about was the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry. As much as the Duke-UNC rivalry is present in our Triangle lives, the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry has that, at least in Louisville. BBN is always on their minds.

Remember, for Smith, taking a job at Louisville was returning home. He sees Payne as family and Louisville was where his father played and also won a national championship.

That’s what that comment was about. It was ludicrous to think that he had turned on Scheyer.