Top 3 Duke basketball players in 2024 NBA Finals ft. Kyrie Irving
The highly awaited 2024 NBA Finals clash between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks kicked off on June 6, and Duke basketball will welcome another former Blue Devil to its coveted list of NBA title holders.
Seven former Duke basketball alumni have lifted the Larry O'Brien trophy in the past, and the 2024 Finals will add at least another to that list. Three former Blue Devils are in this season's championship game, including Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Dereck Lively II.
3 former Duke basketball players competing in 2024 NBA Finals
#3. Dereck Lively II
The Mavericks' rookie Dereck Lively II has emerged as the unexpected standout in the Finals, as he elevates his game to match the NBA's top-tier talent. Lively was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft by the Oklahoma City Thunder but was later traded to Dallas.
The 20-year-old ex-Duke basketball star played 55 games in his debut season averaging 8.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game. He was selected on the NBA All-Rookie second team.
His impact has been pivotal, notably seen in the Western Conference finals where he had a decent game, scoring nine points, grabbing eight rebounds, assisting three times, and blocking three shots in a crucial Game 5 win over Minnesota.
#2. Jayson Tatum
The Celtics' forward Jayson Tatum's 2023-24 season has been nothing short of stellar. Tatum received his fifth consecutive NBA All-Star selection as he averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds and his career-high 4.9 assists per game.
The 2024 Finals will be Tatum's second appearance. During his 2022 run with the Celtics, he maintained an average of 21.5 ppg, 7.0 apg, and 6.8 rpg across six games against the Golden State Warriors.
Tatum set the record for the highest number of points scored in an NBA All-Star Game, at 55, and also holds the record for the most points scored in a Game 7 of any NBA playoff series, with 51 points.
#1. Kyrie Irving
The 2016 NBA champion, Kyrie Irving is playing his fourth finals. Irving spent two seasons with the Celtics, from 2017 to 2019.
He teamed up well with Luka Doncic to finish fifth in the Western Conference. The Mavs secured a comfortable victory over the LA Clippers, Oklahoma and Minnesota to be crowned the Western Conference champion.
Throughout the playoffs, Irving played a crucial role, averaging 22.2 ppg, 5.0 apg and 3.8 rpg in 18 games. In his previous three finals trips, the 6-foot-2 guard only managed to succeed once. Irving will hope to be the third Duke basketball player to win more than one NBA title, following Shane Battier and Quinn Cook.
It will be no easy task, however, after the Mavs find themselves down 2-0 in the series. They now have home court advantage in Games 3 and 4, with Game 3 taking place at American Airlines Center on Wednesday.