Top 5 NBA Players of all time who played for Duke Blue Devils ft. Jayson Tatum
Since their inception in 1905, the Duke Blue Devils have solidified themselves as one of the premier programs for college men's basketball. Five-time NCAA Champions, the school has a rich history that expanded considerably after the arrival of legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski.
With the highest NCAA tournament winning percentage at .755, Duke is among the best programs in the collegiate circuit with the third-most Final Four appearances at 17, trailing only North Carolina UConn, and UCLA.
The program has paved the way for 71 players to make it to the NBA via the draft. Let's look at the top 5 NBA players in history who played for the Duke Blue Devils.
Top 5 NBA players of all time who played for Duke
#5. Zion Williamson
One of the most hyped prospects since LeBron James in 2003, Zion Williamson has been a mixed bag since coming into the league. When healthy, he's been borderline unstoppable, putting up multiple seasons averaging over 26 ppg on above 60% shooting from the field, earning an All-Star selection in the process.
However, he missed a huge portion of his rookie season, before missing out on the 2021-22 season entirely. The next year, too, he was available for just 29 games. After enjoying a relatively healthy year in 2023-24, an injury in the Play-In game against the Los Angeles Lakers forced the Pelicans to be without their superstar in the ensuing playoff series against the OKC Thunder, where they were swept 4-0.
#4. Elton Brand
A two-time All-Star, Elton Brand came firing out of the gates, averaging 20 and 10 as a rookie, and following that up with a similarly remarkable Year 2. In the 2000s, he ascended to his peak scoring production, averaging close to 25 ppg.
Enjoying a long career in the NBA (over 1,000 games played), Elton was a fierce defender, tallying 1.7 bpg for his career, peaking at 2.5 during his All-NBA Second Team caliber 2005-06 season with the LA Clippers.
#3. Kyrie Irving
Regarded by many as the "most skilled player ever," Kyrie Irving is an 8-time All-Star who has been a scoring machine to reckon with throughout his career.
A career 23.6 ppg scorer, Irving was Rookie of the Year in his stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, eventually leading them to a historic 3-1 comeback in the 2016 Finals with his 3-pointer in the final minute of Game 7 standing among the most iconic shots in the sport's history.
An All-Star Game MVP, two All-NBA Third Team selections and an All-NBA Second Team bid undersell the talent that has made Kyrie a revered name in NBA circles. This season, alongside Luka Doncic, he has a chance to take the Dallas Mavericks to their first Finals appearance in more than a decade.
#2. Jayson Tatum
Leading the Boston Celtics to their fifth Eastern Conference Finals in his seven seasons with the team, Jayson Tatum has taken on the role of leader while budding into a legitimate superstar and MVP candidate.
Four straight seasons of 25+ ppg production has landed him a spot among the league's elite scorers, while his defense remains a valuable commodity for Boston's title hopes.
In the playoffs, the four-time All-Star turns even better, as evidenced by his two 50-point game outings, including one in a do-or-die Game 6 against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2022.
#1. Grant Hill
Injuries may have derailed Grant Hill from the surefire success of being the "next Michael Jordan" but the seven-time All-Star still enjoyed a solid run at the NBA level.
Peaking with the 1999-00 season, where he averaged 25.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists, Hill became one of three players in NBA history to lead his team in all three major statistical categories. While an ever-present ankle injury cut short his production, Hill still enjoyed a remarkable career with the Pistons, Magic, Suns and Clippers, as shown by his five All-NBA selections.
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