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Grayson Allen returns to Duke, works out with Coach K

© Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen returned to his alma mater in Duke and put in work with former coach Mike Krzyzewski and current Blue Devils coach Jon Scheyer.

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In a picture posted by Duke’s men’s basketball team, Allen was seen doing pull-ups with 77-year-old Coach K bench pressing in the background.

Allen also ran through drills on the court with Scheyer, who was an assistant for all four years when Allen was there and replaced Krzyzewski as the head coach in 2022.

“Came back. Got some workouts in with coach Scheyer like the old days,” Allen said in a video posted by Duke. “Got the head coach back out there running some individual workouts, so it’s cool to see. Me and coach Scheyer keep in touch and talk pretty often, so it’s cool to be back, be able to squeeze in a day while I’m here in town and get another workout in with him.”

The 2023-24 league leader in 3-point percentage still has not missed a beat, as he could not miss from deep.

In his four seasons at Duke from 2013-17, Allen became one of the most well known college basketball players and averaged 14.1 points while shooting 38% from 3, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals across 142 games (97 starts).

“I went through so many evolutions as a player here at Duke,” Allen said. “From my freshman year, Coach K telling me I needed to drive the ball more and then figuring out my lane as a driver. And then, kind of moving back, like team-specific, being more of a shooter and going through a lot of workouts with coach Scheyer and Coach K and them kind of helping turn my game into being a really, really good shooter.

“Expanding on that through each of my six seasons in the NBA and now being here, there’s been a lot of hard work, a lot of evolutions as a player, but now being able to carve out my role, it’s been cool to be able to find my niche in the league.”

The Suns now feature three former Blue Devils after signing Tyus Jones and Mason Plumlee this offseason. Jones said that Allen played a part in recruiting him this offseason after the two were teammates at Duke in the 2014-15 season and won the 2015 national championship together. They also played together on the Memphis Grizzlies from 2019-21.

“G, that’s my guy. We go way back,” Jones said at his introductory media availability last month. “Had some some great conversations with him as well. I’m really looking forward to sharing the court with him again, both on and off the court, just what he stands for, how he competes, he’s the ultimate winner. He was definitely on board with me coming here and recruiting me as well and making me feel wanted.”

The Suns acquired the 28-year-old Allen from the Milwaukee Bucks on Sept. 27 in the Deandre Ayton/Damian Lillard trade. Allen finished the regular season averaging 13.5 points on .499/.461/.878 splits, 3.9 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 33.5 minutes per game across 75 contests (74 starts), which means he tied or set a career high in literally every major statistical category. Allen signed a four-year, $70 million extension with Phoenix in April.

Grayson Allen, Kevin Durant rank among NBA’s best 3-point shooters on NBA 2K25

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Brendan Mau is a senior writer covering the Phoenix Suns and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau

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