History of Duke vs Kentucky - Who has more players drafted in the NBA? Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and more
Duke and Kentucky have a long-standing rivalry, whether it's their matchups or the number of players who have gone on to play in the NBA. The latter is especially true when the likes of Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis have played for these teams and were the star players during their stints with the programs.
The two teams will face off Tuesday night for the 15th time in the State Farm Champions Classic. Duke leads 9-5 all-time against Kentucky since the first meeting in 1966, winning eight of the last 10.
On one side, Duke has multiple NBA prospects, such as Cooper Flagg, Khaman Maluach, and Isaiah Evans, who will be high on the scouts's radars. Conversely, Kentucky has hopefuls in Koby Brea, Jaxson Robinson, and Brandon Garrison. However, the course of the season will tell if they can improve their stock in the draft leaderboards of basketball analysts.
Both programs have seen many players make their way into the professional ranks of the NBA, though there is one question: which one has had more players make to the league?
It's time to revisit the history of both programs, specifically looking at who has the edge in having more NBA players overall.
History of Duke vs Kentucky - Who has more players drafted in the NBA?
Duke players drafted into the NBA
Duke Blue Devils's first player - Dick Groat - was drafted to the NBA in 1952; since then, 88 Blue Devils (102 total) have had the chance to be selected in the draft. In 2024, Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski are the latest players to join the list.
Multiple Duke players have become star players in the NBA in recent times. Recent examples include Paolo Banchero, Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram, and Kyrie Irving.
A lot of that success can be attributed to Mike Krzyzewski, who coached the Blue Devils from 1980 until his final season in 2022. He dominated college basketball with a commanding 1,129-309 record and five NCAA Championships, a legacy that saw many players develop into stars under his guidance.
Kentucky players drafted in the NBA
Throughout NBA history, 107 players (135 total) have come from the University of Kentucky, with the first player being drafted in 1947. In the 2024 draft, Rob Dillingham, Antonio Reeves, and Reed Sheppard are the latest Wildcats to have their names called following their collegiate careers.
Multiple Kentucky players have recently become notable stars in the league, with Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Karl-Anthony Towns, Julius Randle, Jamal Murray, Bam Adebayo, Tyrese Maxey, and Tyler Herro being the latest examples of the Wildcats' dominance as college basketball blue bloods.
With the likes of Joe Hall, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and John Calipari having coached the program, it makes more sense why Kentucky has been consistent national contenders for the past decades. This is backed up by the talented players they've had on their rosters, which allowed them to compete for titles every year and see those stars get the coveted opportunity to play in the professional ranks of the NBA.
As can be seen, Kentucky has the edge in having more players drafted in the NBA over Duke. While the quality of star players who came from both programs can be argued to be balanced, the quantity has a clear winner in the Wildcats.