David Shumate on finding his voice as Duke’s play-by-play announcer

If anyone knows what it’s like to follow a Duke legend, it’s David Shumate.

In 2017, Shumate took over as the radio play-by-play announcer for football and men’s basketball from Bob Harris, who retired after 41 years of broadcasting Duke athletics. The Hall of Fame broadcaster passed away in 2024, but he remains on Shumate’s mind.

Shumate called the final five seasons of Mike Krzyzewski. Now he is calling games for the Blue Devils under fourth-year head coach Jon Scheyer. No. 6 Duke (14-1, 3-0) is atop the Atlantic Coast Conference and aims for a repeat trip to the Final Four.

We recently caught up with Shumate to discuss his career and the Blue Devils.

Note: This interview has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.

Awful Announcing: How difficult was it when you first started in 2017?

David Shumate: “I remember when I first got the job. I went to lunch with Bob Harris. It’s simple advice, but it’s the best advice you can get. He said, ‘Don’t try to be me. Do what you do.’ And that’s always kind of been in my mind, because in my mind, he’s the voice of the Blue Devils. You look at guys who have been with the team for that long, and everyone knows their signature calls. So, I’ll never consider myself that. That’s Bob’s seat. But I’ve been able to work with some incredible people.”

Were you nervous at all?

“To me, the nerves go away when the game starts. You have nervous energy before the games. But you get lost in the work when it’s going on, and you’re trying to keep track of all the broadcaster dork stuff. Am I varying my phrases? Am I giving time and score? Am I making sure people get a feel for the building’s energy? So, you don’t really have time to be nervous. But it’s live. You screw up sometimes. There’s no getting it back. So, that to me is what makes this cool, what makes it fun.”

Who were your role models growing up?

“I came through the MMR business, which is the multimedia rights side of things. When I first got out of college at Appalachian State, I had a chance to work with ISP, then IMG—same company, different ownership groups. I got a chance in Winston-Salem, where they produce all their broadcasts. I got to learn from a bunch of guys across the country, including a guy like Bob Rondeau out of Seattle, a legendary play-by-play guy, and Brian Jeffries out of Arizona, who I think is really talented. I heard different flavors from across the country. Obviously, I got to listen to Bob, or a guy like Gene Deckerhoff down at Florida State, or Bill Hillgrove at Pittsburgh. I was always fascinated by the angle of covering a team, specifically, and the art of radio. So I took advantage of that opportunity to learn from those guys.”

Do you have a favorite basketball broadcasting moment that stands out?

“From a pure excitement (standpoint), probably the two buzzer-beaters in Carolina. That was back in 2020, before the pandemic shut everything down. They were in Chapel Hill, big favorites, and were behind. And then to come back, Tre Jones hits the shot right at the end of regulation, and then Wendell Moore Jr. wins it at the buzzer. What an incredible win that was. I’ll always remember that. But from a moment (standpoint), I would probably go back to San Francisco when Duke beat Arkansas to go to the Final Four in Coach K’s final season, and to see that moment for him, how happy he was, what that meant to his family, and what that meant to that team.”

Wendell Moore’s game-winner as called by Duke’s David Shumate and UNC’s Jones Angell. pic.twitter.com/0WjLcwn47W

— Mark Armstrong (@MarkPArmstrong) February 10, 2020

Do you have a favorite football broadcasting moment?

“Duke just won the ACC title for the first time in 36 years. I worked with Dave Harding on the football side. The last time they played in that game was in 2013, and Harding was on the team. He was part of revitalizing Duke football when David Cutcliffe was there. He and Matt Skura, who played offensive line at Duke, were both in the booth.

“When Duke got the interception, Luke Mergott got the pick. How often do you have a final play in football that wins a championship? To have that moment, to share it with Dave, and to have Matt Skura in the booth, I’ll never forget it. And I thought we did the call justice.”

What is it like working with Jon Scheyer?

“He’s the best. And to see what he’s grown into and what he is as a head coach, I’ve had a front-row seat. When he was an assistant coach on Coach K’s staff, I was hired a couple of years later. We started a podcast together, did some interviews, and got to spend time around him. You see his emotional intelligence, how he knows people, and how smart he is about the game. I think everyone knew him as an elite recruiter, but the way he thinks about the game and the way he strategizes, to me, is fascinating.”

What do you love the most about your job?

“The players and the coaches, and getting to know their stories. The games are fun. But one of the unique things about my position as a voice of the school is that you have access other people don’t. You see the excitement but also the bumps and bruises along the way. To me, seeing their personal journeys, seeing them overcome things, and getting to know them on a level you really couldn’t if you were covering a national game is the really cool part of the job.”

DUKE FRESHMAN CAM BOOZER UNDERSTANDS IT NOW 😳

27 PTS | 8 REB | 10-12 FG | Win against No. 20 Louisville 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2N2UIDVMXY

— ESPN (@espn) January 7, 2026

What has it been like following this team with Cameron Boozer and Cayden Boozer after the Cooper Flagg hype?

“I come at an angle, learning these guys’ stories, right? So you knew last year Cooper’s story, you knew Kon (Knueppel’s) story, and you knew Sion James, whose story is incredible about what he’s been through and what he’s built with his foundation.

“This year, you kind of get lost in the Boozer story. You also have the story of Caleb Foster, who chooses to come back. You have Isaiah Evans, who chooses to come back. So you have that continuity. There was so much hype around last year’s team. Maybe it’s natural that there wasn’t as much outside attention (this year). But if you look at the record and what this team has done, it’s on a pretty similar trajectory.”

Are you surprised by Cooper Flagg’s NBA success as a rookie?

“No, absolutely not. What he was doing at 17 was just ridiculous. The way he leads on the floor and among his team. I was talking to you about practice and seeing how he talks with his teammates. You knew it was just a matter of time. People forget how young he is and what he’s already accomplished in his career. None of this surprises me. He’s a special talent and a special kid.”

What career advice would you give to someone who wants to be the next David Shumate?

“I think for people trying to get into this industry, there can be a temptation to focus on the process rather than the craft when it comes to getting an opportunity. I’ve been lucky. I’ve had some great mentors along the way. But generally speaking, if you master the craft, the process will take care of itself.”