For the first time in 55 years, Duquesne advances in the NCAA Tournament.
The Dukes defeated the BYU Cougars 71-67 on Thursday, winning their March Madness first-round game. It was the first big upset of the 2024 contest, as No. 11 seed Duquesne sent No. 6 seed BYU home early, setting up a second-round matchup against the winner of No. 3 seed Illinois. and No. 14 seed Morehead State. .
While several Dukes fans were in Omaha to watch the basketball program, one notable name was cheering on Duquesne from afar: LeBron James.
The Lakers star posted on X, formerly Twitter, praising head coach Keith Dambrot and his team after the win over BYU.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! First tournament victory in 55 years! @CoachDambrot ? @DuqMBB ??????????. Keep it up
– LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024
YEAAAHHHH @DruOnDemand GLF!!!! Go dukes @DuqMBB
– LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024
“KEITH DAMBROT’S COACHING CAREER WILL CONTINUE” ?
(11) DUQUESNE GIVES MADNESS AN ANNOYance BY (6) BYU! #MarchMadness @DuqMBB pic.twitter.com/1toECOakWH
– NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 21, 2024
James has a relationship with both Dambrot and associate head coach Dru Joyce III. He has been rooting for Duquesne all season and most recently during the team’s run to the Atlantic 10 championship game, where the Dukes defeated Dayton for the conference title.
Here’s more about the connection between James and the Duquesne coaching staff.
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LeBron James’ relationship with Duquesne, explained
James, Dambrot and Joyce all have ties to Akron, Ohio.
Both members of the Duquesne coaching staff were part of James’ high school team while he was at St. Vincent–St. Mary: Dambrot was the head coach of the Irish, while Joyce was the point guard. The trio ran St. Vincent-St. Mary to consecutive state titles.
Dambrot left the program after the 2000-01 season to join Akron’s coaching staff as an assistant. He was promoted to the head coach position in 2004, a position he held until his departure to Duquesne in 2017.
By this time, Joyce had also enrolled at Akron. She starred on Team Dambrot before embarking on a 12-year professional career of her own.
The couple would join forces years later. Joyce joined the coaching ranks after his playing career concluded in 2019, first landing an assistant coaching position at Cleveland State. After three years with the Vikings, Joyce got a new job as associate head coach at Duquesne and reunited with Dambrot.
HISTORY OF SEED DISCOMFORT:
16 against 1 | 15 against 2 | 14 against 3 | 13 against 4 | 12 against 5
Of course, while Dambrot and Joyce carved out careers on coaching staffs, James has built an illustrious career in the NBA that places him among the greatest players of all time.
While James has been in the bright light of the professionals, his connection with Dambrot and Joyce has not wavered. The four-time NBA champion gave away pairs of his signature cleats to Duquesne players before their first-round game against BYU.
Yes sir!! ?????? Good luck guys!! https://t.co/ngxGghmCd7
– LeBron James (@KingJames) March 21, 2024
Dambrot will retire after the conclusion of the Dukes’ season. the program announced before the tournament. The idea is for Joyce to take over in his place, earning his first head coaching job at the college level.
“We’ve been preparing Coach Dru to take over for me,” Dambrot said, according to Spencer Thomas of the Duke of Duquesne. “I’m obviously biased, but I think the show won’t miss a beat if he gets the job.”
Joyce said he is more than willing to take on the responsibility if the opportunity presents itself.
“Even since I was 12 and 13 years old, [Dambrot] “He’s been preparing me to have the opportunity to be a head coach,” Joyce said. “He always understood that it was a dream for me to do it, so I think he made the most of knowing what I wanted to do.”
However, the Dukes aren’t done dancing yet. Dambrot has at least one more game in his coaching career scheduled for Saturday, while Duquesne awaits the victor of the Illinois-Morehead State matchup in the second round.
