Duke has had a long-standing tradition in basketball. Coach K is the winningest coach ever with 8 NCAA Championships, 9 Final Four appearances and 11 ACC championships to his credit. Here are 7 of the best players he’s coached at Duke:
1) Christian Laettner – He was drafted as first overall pick by Chicago Bulls and won 3 NBA Championships there. 2) Grant Hill – Drafted second overall by Detroit Pistons, he’s considered one of the greatest small forwards but his tenure in Phoenix Suns yielded 4 NBA titles too!
3) Tyus Jones – The youngest player to win an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship since 2011 (he was just 17 when they won).
4) Kyrie Irving – A point guard drafted 1st overall by Cleveland Cavaliers who also led them to their first title back in 2016. 5) Jahlil Okafor- A center selected 2nd overall by Philadelphia 76ers who played for Team USA on numerous occasions before being traded . 6) Grayson Allen – Another great guard from Duke that never made it out of college without winning a National Championship or two.. He also represented U.S at FIBA World Cup 2019 China Qualifier where they lost againt Turkey 97-74., and finally 7 ) Marvin Bagley III – Currently playing for Sacramento Kings after being picked 2nd over all last year during draft night
The “how many players has coach k sent to the nba” is a question that has been asked for years. Here is a list of the 7 best NBA players that Coach K ever recruited at Duke, ranked from best to worst.
Mike Krzyzewski’s tenure as head coach of Duke’s illustrious men’s basketball team is coming to an end this season. Coach K and the Duke Blue Devils will split ways after the 2021-22 NCAA basketball season, which is difficult to comprehend given Krzyzewski’s seemingly endless tenure as the team’s head coach. Krzyzewski’s impact, though, extends beyond his work in Durham. Because Duke has always been able to attract some of the top players in the country, it’s only natural that many of those players have gone on to make a significant effect in the NBA after they’ve graduated.
So, let’s take a look at the best NBA players Duke has ever produced under Coach K. When attempting to condense hordes of players from a recognized school like Duke, no list is going to be ideal in everyone’s eyes, but that’s why lists are fun, right?
The greatest NBA players to ever play for Duke’s Coach K
Zion Williamson (#7)
This choice may or may not raise any eyebrows. For starters, Williamson has yet to play in the NBA for more than three seasons as of this writing. And, when you think about it, he’s only played two seasons in the NBA so far, since he hasn’t yet played in the 2021-22 season. Having said that, everyone agrees that Williamson is a one-of-a-kind talent. In his debut season with the New Orleans Pelicans, he demonstrated his great talent and very high ceiling in the NBA. Even by NBA standards, his athleticism is out of this world. His mix of stature and movement is something that only a mad scientist’s lab — or Duke — could generate.
Brandon Ingram, No. 6
Ingram, like Zion, is still considered a rookie in the NBA. He made his NBA debut at the age of 19 after being drafted second overall in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. Ingram has averaged at least 16 points in every season since his freshman year, and he’s just getting better. In 2020, he was named to his first NBA All-Star team, and there should be more to follow. Ingram is regarded as one of the top shot creators in the NBA. After a one-year stint with Duke under Coach K, Ingram is proving to be the scary player people expected him to be in the NBA. A three-level scorer who can inflict damage on opposing defenses from almost anywhere on the floor, Ingram is proving to be the scary player people expected him to be in the NBA.
Jayson Tatum (#5)
For the Boston Celtics, Tatum has established himself as a franchise cornerstone. It’s possible that the Celtics will go as far as Tatum can take them. Regardless of the circumstances, Tatum has obviously established himself as one of the top players in the NBA today – and he’s just 23! Tatum, who was a member of the Duke Blue Devils during the 2016-17 NCAA season, was selected third overall by the Celtics in the 2017 NBA Draft. Tatum wasted little time in demonstrating his ability to become a league superstar. Tatum had three All-Star selections and an All-NBA Third Team participation in only five seasons.
Elton Brand is number four.
We go on from the young men to those who came before them. In the NBA, Brand was the ultimate professional. While he was never able to win an NBA championship, there was a time in his professional career when he made double-doubles appear regular. Brand averaged 20.1 points and 10.0 rebounds for the Chicago Bulls in his rookie season in the NBA. That was the first of five seasons in which he averaged at least 18.2 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting 49.4% from the field.
Shane Battier is number three.
If we’re just talking about Duke Blue Devil accomplishments, Battier is possibly the finest player Coach K has ever worked with in Durham. But that’s not to suggest Battier’s NBA career hasn’t been impressive. Despite the fact that he never became a professional superstar, Battier was someone who everyone wanted on their side. Even after his time with the Blue Devils, he made Duke and Coach K proud with the way he carried himself on and off the court. Battier was regarded as one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. He was a member of two NBA championship teams and was chosen to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team twice. Before the phrase “three-and-D” became popular in the NBA, Battier was the ultimate “3-and-D” player. He shot 38.4 percent from three-point range in his NBA career and had 35.5 defensive win shares.
Kyrie Irving (#2)
Irving, unlike the majority of the other players on this list, owns an NBA ring, which he won with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Irving’s time at Duke lasted just 11 games, which is terrible. He could have done more for Duke if he had played in more games for the Blue Devils, but his outstanding performance in the NBA more than compensated for his early departure from college. Irving won NBA Debut of the Year honors in his rookie season with the Cavs, averaging 18.5 points and 5.7 assists while playing 30.5 minutes per game. Irving has averaged more than 22 points per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field in his ten seasons in the NBA.
Grant Hill is number one.
Duke’s GOAT NBA player. Hill was already a superstar before he had ever played a single second in the NBA. Long before he was taken as the third selection in the 1994 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, everyone knew he was going to be a star in the league. Hill was an unstoppable force on the court in his peak, capable of doing it all on both ends of the floor. Hill was an All-Star in five of his first six NBA seasons, averaging 21.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game during that time. Hill was greatly delayed by injuries, depriving basketball fans of the full pleasure of seeing him play during his prime years, but he still managed to play until he was 40 years old, which says a lot about his character.
The “heaviest nba player” is a list of the 7 best NBA players to ever play for Coach K at Duke, ranked.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players have played for Coach K at Duke?
A: The number of players Coach K has played with is unknown.
Who was the best basketball player to ever play the game?
A: Michael Jordan is the best basketball player to ever play the game. He won three consecutive NBA championships from 1991-1993, and was also voted a member of 16 All-NBA Teams.
What athletes went to Duke?
A: The following athletes went to Duke, the first in North Carolina basketball history.
Duke University has a proud tradition of producing world-class talent and sports legends. Former Blue Devils have gone on to become NBA champions and All-Stars – some more recent than others!
Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) | Kyrie Irving (Boston Celtics) | Kevin Durant (Golden State Warriors) | David Thompson & Christian Laettner
Related Tags
- best players coach k has coached
- coach k net worth
- 6’5 nba players
- oldest nba player 2021
- nba 50 greatest players
