The Duke Blue Devils have been certainly one of faculty basketball’s greatest packages for 4 a long time, and meaning loads of expertise has gone to the NBA by way of Durham, North Carolina. In recent times, no college has mixed faculty success with NBA expertise like Duke has underneath Mike Krzyzewski and now Jon Scheyer.
Duke ranks second solely to the Kentucky Wildcats when it comes to present NBA gamers, and that record runs deep with proficient stars and function gamers with elite skillsets. Who’re the perfect Duke gamers at present within the NBA? Let’s rank all of them, 1 to 26.
These rankings are a snapshot in time; this isn’t an inventory of the best Duke gamers all through NBA historical past. Equally, a number of months from this writing, Cam Boozer will leap onto the record. For now, that is each participant within the NBA this season who performed at Duke, assuming full well being at this second. We start, due to this fact, with the one participant on the record to win a championship as the perfect participant on his staff.
Rating each Duke participant within the NBA
No. 1: Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum was a High-7 participant at worst within the NBA earlier than tearing his Achilles in final 12 months’s playoffs. His mixture of on-ball scoring, capturing, playmaking and protection can match on basically any roster within the league, and just some years in the past he was the perfect participant on a championship staff. How he appears to be like getting back from harm will matter, however for now he’s No. 1 on this record.
No. 2: Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks
Jalen Johnson ruffled some feathers when he left Duke early to organize for the NBA Draft, and a few die-hard followers would favor to not declare him as a Duke participant. He did play for the Blue Devils, nevertheless, and he checks in at No. 2 after making the All-Star Staff in his fifth season within the NBA. He’s a triple double machine and does every part for the Atlanta Hawks.
No. 3: Cooper Flagg, Dallas Mavericks
Cooper Flagg passes a number of All-Star gamers on this record, as proper now he’s already a star and can solely enhance from right here. He does every part to assist a staff win, from protection, rebounding and playmaking to already distinctive scoring capacity. Flagg might be No. 1 on this record very quickly.
No. 4: Kon Knueppel, Charlotte Hornets
Duke despatched not one however two stars into the NBA within the 2025 NBA Draft, with Kon Knueppel going fourth total and placing collectively top-of-the-line rookie seasons within the historical past of the league. He’s a hyper-efficient shooter on excessive quantity, blowing away the rookie document for made 3-pointers. Add in his playmaking, off-ball motion, rebounding and defensive effort, and also you get a future All-NBA stud.
No. 5: Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Kyrie Irving would have been greater on this record have been he wholesome and displaying himself to be on the identical stage, however as he ages into his 30s and tries to return from a big knee harm, there are not any certainties as to his stage of play. At his greatest, nobody has a greater mixture of deal with and contact, and he is usually a actually particular No. 2 possibility on offense. Nobody ask him in regards to the form of the earth, although.
No. 6: Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
There’s a trio of gamers whose identify worth means that they need to be greater on this record, however whose evident weaknesses drag them again down it. Zion Williamson will stand on the prime of the group, however you would make an argument for ordering them in any method.
Zion’s very actual harm historical past has sapped his athleticism, taking him from traditionally particular to simply above-average. He stays a power to deal with inside and has grown as a passer, however the protection that was spectacular at Duke has disappeared within the NBA. With out capturing or rim safety, he makes for a really troublesome match on a superb staff.
No. 7: Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic
Paolo Banchero is a novel bodily power, with distinctive ability for his dimension. He places up factors in bunches and his greatest moments make him appear to be a famous person. However he’s unable to create photographs effectively and his lack of capturing makes it troublesome to construct an elite offense round him. Each Duke fan hopes he finds a technique to break by into the participant he may grow to be.
No. 8: Brandon Ingram, Toronto Raptors
Two-time All-Star Brandon Ingram can rating. At instances, he has additionally proven a capability to make performs for others. However at his core, Ingram is a silky-smooth scorer who likes to hunt the midrange shot. That participant might be priceless, particularly while you do it in addition to Ingram, however he does not deliver the whole bundle to be a High-40 participant within the NBA.
No. 9: RJ Barrett, Toronto Raptors
Among the best human beings to return by Duke lately, RJ Barrett is enjoying for his hometown Toronto Raptors staff after beginning his profession with the New York Knicks at “Duke North”, Madison Sq. Backyard. He’s a extremely good scorer and passer on the 2 however hasn’t taken the leap into stardom.
No. 10: Dereck Energetic II, Dallas Mavericks
One other participant injured to complete the 2025-26 season, Dereck Energetic II was the beginning heart on an NBA Finals staff as a rookie. His huge dimension inside elevates his sport on each ends; he’s a shot-blocking machine and a supreme finisher inside. He is not a star and will not grow to be a star, however he must be a two-way starter for years to return.
No. 11: Mark Williams, Phoenix Suns
Mark Williams was all the time underrated by the nationwide media, however true Duke followers know simply how a lot of an influence he made. Accidents zapped the begin to his profession, however he has discovered his stride and been principally wholesome in his fourth 12 months and blossomed right into a bona fide, high-impact beginning heart for the Phoenix Suns.
No. 12: Tre Jones, Chicago Bulls
For years it was Ultimate 4 Most Excellent Participant Tyus Jones who was the higher of the 2 brothers, however Tre Jones has grown right into a dependable start line guard who does not shoot it like his brother however does nearly every part else: a bulldog level of assault defender, rebounder and playmaker who matches onto nice groups as the last word glue man.
No. 13: Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic
Whereas Marvin Bagley III has busted out after going within the High 10 of the 2018 NBA Draft, Wendell Carter Jr. was taken later however has had the higher profession by far. He has developed as a shooter to be harmful sufficient from the perimeter, and whereas not an elite rim protector is a switchable massive who has been part of good defenses in Orlando.
No. 14: Jared McCain, Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder
Jared McCain had a molten begin to his rookie season, acquired harm, and was enjoying poorly upon his return as a sophomore. A commerce to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder seems to have unlocked his scoring as soon as once more, and top-of-the-line shooters in Duke historical past is discovering his rhythm within the NBA as soon as extra.
No. 15: Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz
In two seasons within the league, Kyle Filipowski has proven actual flashes of being a dynamic offensive risk from all three ranges. He has defensive limitations, however in the appropriate context he has an extended future awaiting him within the NBA.
