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NBA: Ranking the 10 greatest Duke players in NBA history

By Josh Cornelissen

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 06: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans warms up before a game against the Miami Heat at the Smoothie King Center on March 06, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - MARCH 06: Zion Williamson #1 of the New Orleans Pelicans warms up before a game against the Miami Heat at the Smoothie King Center on March 06, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /
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Duke, NBA
Duke, NBA (Photo by GEORGE FREY/AFP via Getty Images) /

With Duke men’s basketball head coach Mike Krzyzewski announcing that the 2021-22 season will be his last, the basketball world is reflecting on the career of one of the sport’s greatest coaches to ever roam the sideline. Fans of the NBA have much to appreciate as well.

From the time “Coach K” took over as the head coach at Duke University in 1980 the Blue Devils have seen 67 players selected in the NBA Draft, including 41 in the first round. Four times has a Blue Devil gone first overall, including three times under Krzyzewski: Elton Brand in 1999, Kyrie Irving in 2011 and Zion Williamson in 2019. 14 of his players have gone in the top three.

The above list illustrates the way Coach K adjusted to the changing eras of basketball, as he sent four-year college basketball standouts to the draft as well as one-and-done freshman phenoms. His connection to that NBA talent is unquestioned and supported by the impact he had coaching USA Basketball to three gold medals.

Of all the players to go from Coach K to the NBA, which were the very best? It has to be acknowledged that for all of Duke’s collegiate success over the past 40 years and the sheer volume of players sent to the NBA, they haven’t had the very elite high-end talent. Any realistic list of the 30 or maybe even 40 best players of all time won’t include a Blue Devil. That doesn’t take away from Duke’s accomplishments or K’s recruiting, it’s just a reality. A handful of active players could force their way into that discussion by the end of their careers.

Ranking the 10 greatest Duke players in NBA history: Honorable Mentions

Before we get to the top 10 list, let’s touch on some honorable mentions. Players such as Johnny Dawkins, Jay Williams and Danny Ferry all played in the league after solid college careers with Duke but are known more for their post-playing impact than what they did in the NBA. Bob Verga was a prolific scorer (20.2 points-per-game scoring average) in the ABA but didn’t seem to help his teams win.

Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett and Wendell Carter Jr. are among the young players in the league with the upside to grow into something more. Mike Dunleavy and Sheldon Williams were valuable role players for a number of years, while Luke Kennard, Seth Curry and Austin Rivers are now. Mason Plumlee is in the midst of a long and underrated career at center.

Finally, J.J. Redick is the next guy off for this list. He never made an All-Star Game, but he developed into an elite shooter who played a valuable role on a number of good basketball teams. He just lost the final spot to the player with the greatest career in Duke history, and who carved out a solid, if unspectacular, career in the NBA.