“The perfect place” - NextUpAZ Interview with Cory Duke

As the end of the 2025-26 school year looms near, job openings are filling up quickly and with that comes new beginnings for some of the top programs in the state.

Canyon View’s job was viewed by many as one of the top jobs in Arizona this coaching cycle with relatively new facilities and a quality talent pool at the school and within the neighborhoods of north Buckeye and Waddell.

The Jaguars went out of state for their hiring as they pulled Cory Duke from Democracy Prep out of Las Vegas.

Duke is considered by many as one of the top coaches in not just Nevada but on the west coast with the track record to back it up.

He helped build a school of roughly 300-400 students on the northwest side of Las Vegas from the 2A conference to a 5A conference powerhouse in Nevada’s top classification. With two state championships and a track record of developing talent, he stood out in the hiring process.

Duke spoke with NextUpAZ on Tuesday afternoon via a phone call about what went into his decision to leave Democracy Prep for Canyon View.

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Q: What was it about Canyon View that made you realize that it was the right place to be?

Duke: “From the moment I got onto campus and got to meet everyone, it was the perfect place. Everybody from (Andrea) Hudson to principal Reid to the football coaches to the tennis coaches, there’s a pride that’s there that honestly is refreshing to see. The community is special and I love how invested everybody was”

Q: What is it that the athletes and families within the program can expect from you?

Duke: “First and foremost I want our kids to go to college regardless of its for basketball or not. I’m going to sit down with each kid and figure out where they are in that process and what do we need to do to get them where they need to be for that. At the end of the day our job is to get these men to college and set themselves up for success in the future or else what are we doing here?”

Q: What’s the biggest thing you hope your athletes takeaway from you as a coach?

Duke: “I don’t care if I’m talking to the President of the United States, if a player calls me or needs me, I’m dropping everything to be there for them for whatever they need or however I can help them. Basketball will be there, but doing anything I can for them beyond the court is greater.”

Q: What will the next stretch look like with you finishing the school year in Nevada?

Duke: “So I’ll be traveling back and forth between here (Vegas) and there working out with the guys and getting to work with them to prepare for the live period in June”

Q: Outside of basketball, what do you look forward to the most being at Canyon View?

Duke: I look forward to getting on campus, I’ll be teaching on campus so I’m excited to see the passion and enthusiasm from the students and staff. When I met with everyone, they showed me what I can expect with the student section. I look forward to living in the community and going to the store, the restaurant, the gas station and seeing the families and the people and interacting with them