LeBron James, the renowned star of the Los Angeles Lakers, made headlines on Thursday as he revealed that his former high school teammate and current associate head coach at Dukes, Dru Joyce III, is set to take over as the head coach, succeeding Keith Dambrot, who retired following the team’s NCAA Tournament campaign. The confirmation of Joyce’s promotion came swiftly from Duquesne University shortly after James made the announcement.
In a heartfelt post on X, James expressed his joy and pride for his longtime friend, writing, “As the unquestioned source I am confirming that Dru Joyce is the new HC at Duquesne University and is meeting with the team right now! So damn happy and proud of you my brother!” The bond between James and Joyce traces back to their shared experience playing under Dambrot at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron from 1999 to 2001. Joyce furthered his basketball journey under Dambrot’s guidance at the University of Akron, where he left an indelible mark by setting the school’s career assist record with 503 assists. In recognition of his achievements, Joyce was honored with induction into the Akron Athletics Hall of Fame alongside Dambrot in 2019.
Reflecting on his new role, Joyce expressed his lifelong aspiration to become a head coach in NCAA Division I basketball, stating, “I’ve wanted to be an NCAA Division I head coach since I was 14 years old, so I’m overwhelmed with joy to be named the next head coach at Duquesne University.” He also expressed his eagerness to build upon the foundation laid by Dambrot during his seven-year tenure.
Joyce’s journey to the head coaching position at Duquesne began when he joined the program as an associate head coach in May 2022 after serving as an assistant at Cleveland State for three seasons. During his two seasons with the Dukes, Joyce played a pivotal role in their success, contributing to a commendable 45-25 record. Duquesne President Ken Gormley praised Joyce’s contributions, alongside Dambrot, particularly highlighting their role in the team’s remarkable performance in this year’s March Madness, which included their first NCAA Tournament victory since 1969.
“Dru Joyce III has proven his abundant talent as a coach,” remarked Gormley. “He’s been a key figure in the recent success of the Duquesne men’s basketball program, alongside Keith Dambrot, that culminated this year in the exciting Atlantic 10 Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance, re-energizing men’s basketball at Duquesne and in Pittsburgh. Dru is already a respected, valued and admired member of the Duquesne family. For that reason, this was an easy decision.”
The Dukes, seeded No. 11, made a statement in the NCAA Tournament by defeating No. 6 seed BYU in the first round. However, their journey came to an end in the second round as they fell to No. 3 Illinois.
James, a staunch supporter of Duquesne, extended his congratulations to the team upon securing their spot in the tournament after their conference tournament victory. Additionally, ahead of the Dukes’ first-round matchup, James went above and beyond by gifting the team his signature shoes in white and light blue. He also took to social media to wish the team luck and later celebrated their victory.
In summary, LeBron James’ announcement of Dru Joyce III’s appointment as the head coach of Duquesne University’s men’s basketball team marks a significant moment in both their personal and professional journeys. With Joyce’s extensive experience and James’ unwavering support, the Dukes are poised to continue their upward trajectory in the college basketball landscape.
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