DURHAM – It had crossed Spencer Hubbard’s mind that Duke had an open scholarship spot entering the semester.

But after early morning conditioning and a practice back in September, it wasn’t like that was at the forefront of the walk-on guard’s mind.

That’s part of what made Hubbard’s — and the team’s — reaction so genuine when coach Jon Scheyer told the Blue Devils that Hubbard would be on scholarship this season.

“I was pretty exhausted from that, and then practice,” Hubbard said last week. “It was definitely not what was on my mind at the time. But, incredible moment, so special to share with my teammates and coaching staff.”

The 5-8, 157-pound senior was on Duke’s practice squad for the 2020-21 season before being elevated to the roster for the past two seasons.

Hubbard has played in six games for the Blue Devils, scoring against Elon in Dec. 2021.

The math of Duke holding an extra scholarship had occurred to him — it’s just not something he was constantly thinking about.

“It’s something that had crossed my mind,” Hubbard said. “But it was never a priority for me. This has just been such a special experience for me, showing up every day and just enjoying everything, regardless of whether I’ve been on scholarship or not.

“It’s been a privilege, for sure, and something I don’t take lightly. I’ve been watching Duke basketball since I was in diapers.”

Behind the scenes of the video posted to social media is the private conversation Hubbard had with Scheyer, followed by a phone call to Hubbard’s parents.

“They were just kind of speechless,” Hubbard said of his parents, Beth and Michael Hubbard. “My dad was just super emotional, I know it meant a lot to him.”

Among those who reached out to Hubbard, one was his former coach, Mike Krzyzewski. Hubbard said there was a lot of mutual appreciation expressed in his chat with Coach K.

“A guy who’s done an incredible job for us,” Scheyer says on the video. “He’s shown up every day. … He’s competitive as anybody. He pisses you guys off more going against him in practice.”

Hubbard has earned praise over the last two seasons for his tenacity in practices. His name is often mentioned in relation to preparing Duke’s forwards and centers to defend pick-and-rolls.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling, for sure,” Hubbard said. “But you know, for me, it’s kind of the same approach. Just being a good teammate, being a good leader, and just continuing everything that’s gotten me to this point.”