tyreese procteris rapidly establishing himself as one of the best lead guards in college basketball, currently ranked No. 28 on ESPN’s Top 100 and No. 30 in HoopsHype’s latest aggregate mock draft. The Australian native is known for his playmaking, defense, and leadership on the court.
Proctor was named team captain during his sophomore campaign, becoming the fourth sophomore in Duke history to accomplish this feat. His 2.95 assist-to-turnover ratio ranked 25th in the nation and showed his ability to control the game while minimizing mistakes. He averaged 10.5 points per game, led the team in assists, and asserted his role as the Blue Devils’ lead guard last year, when they sometimes employed a three-guard lineup.
Proctor recently sat down with HoopsHype to reflect on his basketball journey, his time at the NBA Global Academy in Australia, his thoughts on the modern game, his college basketball experience, and more.
Tyrese Proctor: It was very good. I’m going to feel sorry for everyone, but some things were great. The competition is fierce, so I’m looking forward to the future.
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TP: Coming at the beginning of the year, there were a lot of challenges, but as you know, I was ready for the challenge and I had a great two years. But yeah, I can do more and I know I had a great summer this summer and I’m ready.
TP: I’m not trying to prove anything, I just want to win. I think the biggest thing for me is winning. I want to be known as a winning player and be able to play and win on a team with other great players.
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TP: That’s something I had never even noticed before. I’m from Australia and there’s not as much hype over there so I’m always down to earth. My family has always kept me grounded. When I’m on social media, I see it here and there, but I try to stay away from social media as much as possible and not focus on any of it.
TP: In other words, it’s cool. I live with everyone at the academy and have close relationships with all of them. So it’s great that Australian basketball is now being noticed around the world. The NBA has made great strides as well. Now it’s getting even more attention. It’s just as physical a game there as it is here. I had to get used to the pace of the game here, but other than that it’s pretty much the same basketball and being from Australia is great.
TP: I think people think I’m an afterthought when it comes to things like scoring, but I don’t think basketball is all about scoring. He can score the ball, but he needs to shoot the ball better. I haven’t been able to shoot for the past two years, but I was able to score the ball offensively. I think he’s done a great job defensively and in terms of leadership, but I feel like he’s undervalued and ignored as a scorer. However, I don’t pay much attention to that. I’m just trying to play to win and win games. Whether I score 20 points one night or five points another night, that’s what I have to do to win.
TP: I mean, I’m going to look at the NBA as a whole. I watch my tape and focus on what I can improve on each day.
TP: It’s just my mental strength. The season is truly a roller coaster. You can get lost in losses or big wins. I think just staying calm was a big area of growth for me. I’m the captain this year, so I have to stay calm throughout the year.
TP: I’ll do whatever the coach wants. Last year, we played with three guards, so we played both on-ball and off-ball. it doesn’t matter. We’ll do whatever we have to do to win the game. caleb (foster) can handle the ball, I can handle the ball, everyone can, so there’s no particular guy.
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TP: I think it’s a way of thinking about games. I don’t get lost in the outside world or people’s expectations. I’m obsessed with winning basketball games and trying to improve every day.
TP: Actually, Canada was good. It was one time we could go in and have a little fun and get used to playing in front of a crowd. But it’s nothing like playing Cameron in front of the crazy guys. It was a good experience.
TP: I had never seen Cope play before Duke. I probably watched a game or two online. But his day-to-day work ethic is impressive. We’re always in the gym together, but his mindset of coming to the gym without worrying about the media is special. He’s been consistent on both ends of the floor, and all of his freshmen have evolved to the point where they’re no longer freshmen. They need to step up and the sooner we change their mindset, the better off we will be. Isaiah, Darren, Pat – they all really impressed me. And our freshman class is amazing.
TP: He is still refining his offensive game. My body was also important and I was able to maintain a constant weight throughout the season. I have a great nutritionist now and I’m able to make a lot of changes to my off-court habits that will help me improve on the court.
