This article is part of a series of top North Carolina athletes and teams. As North Carolina sports betting gets set to launch in March, take a look at the top athletes across North Carolina college and professional sports.
Duke has one of the most successful college basketball programs in history. With a great program, comes great players. Who are the best Duke basketball players of all time? We rank the top 10 Duke basketball players ever based♐ on their time at Duke.
10. Elton Brand – C
Years at Duke: 1997-99
Elton Brand was a beast in his sophomore season at Duke before being selected the number one pick in the 1999 NBA Draft. At 🥃ꦰDuke, Brand won the AP Player of the Year along with the Wooden and Naismith Awards. Also, he was the ACC Player of the Year and won the Rupp Trophy.
Brand averaged 16.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in his career and was named an All-American in 1998-99 as he led Duke to a 37-2 record and a national title appearance. The Blue Devils lost 77-74 to U🥂Conn but Brand had 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 blocks in the loss.
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9. Art Heyman – SF
Years at Duke: 1960-63
Art Heyman was an elite scorer and rebounder during his time with the Blue Devils. He had insane career averages of 25.1 points and 10.9 rebounds in a career that earned him three All-ACC nods and All-Ameriꦆcan honors twice.
Heyman wꩲas the 1962-63 AP Player of🅰 the Year along with the ACC Player of the Year that same season. He won the NCAA Tournament MVP in the 1963 tourney despite Duke finishing third after losing to eventual champion Loyola Chicago.
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8. Danny Ferry – PF
Years at Duke: 1985-89
Danny Ferry played in three Final Fours in his career at Duke and was part of the team that finished runner-up in the ꦦ1986 NCAA Tournament. Ferry was a two-time All-American selection and won the Naismith Award along with ACC Player of the Year twice in his career with the Blue Devils.
Ferry averaged 15.1 points and 7.0 rebounds per game in his career with his best season coming as a senior in 𒆙1988-89. That season, he averaged 22.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists to help Duke reach the Final Four.
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7. Bobby Hurley – PG
Years at Duke: 1989-93
Bobby Hurley was the starting point guard for Duke teams that played in three national championship games in a row while winning the final two for back-to-back titles. Hurley was the NCAA Tournament’s Most Oustanding Player in 1992, an All-American, and made the All-ACC Team three times with the Blue Devils.
Hurley averaged 12.4 points and 7.7 assists🃏 per🔥 game while at Duke. He dished out 8.2 assists as a senior and he still holds several single-season and career assists records.
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6. Johnny Dawkins – SG
Years at Duke: 1982-86
Johnny Dawkins could score with the best of him during his four-year career at Duke which was capped off by averaging 20.2 point🌄s per game as a senior while shooting 54.9% from the field. Dawkins racked up two All-American selections, the Naismith Award, and made four All-ACC teams in his time with the Blue Devils.
Dawkins averaged 19.2 points per game in his career while shooting an astounding 50.8% from the field. He’s second all-time in career points behind JJ Redick and eighth all-time in career points per game. Dawkins racked up the mileage too, playing a Duke record 35.7 minutes per game in his career.
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5. Shane Battier – SF/PF
Years at Duke: 1997-2001
Shane Battier was part of 131 wins at Duke which was an NCAA record until 2017. Battier led Duke to an NCAA Title in 2001 and won a Naismith Award, Wooden Award, and Rupp Trophy along the way. He was a two-time All-American selection, won the ACC Playe𓂃r of the Year, and was the AP Player of the Year.
Battier could play on both ends which was rewarded with three All-ACC selections and making the All-ACC Defensive Team twice. He averaged 13.6 points and 6.1 rebounds in his career. Battier’s best season registered numbers of 19.9 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.1% from the field and an excellent 41.9% from three.
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4. Jay Williams – PG
Years at Duke: 1999-2002
Jay Williams was dominant in his three years with t🅰he Blue Devils including winning a national championship alongside Shane Battier in 2001. Williams averaged 19.3 points and 6 assists per gaꦇme in his career while shooting 45.3% from the field and 39.3% from three.
Williams was a two-time All-American, won the 2001-02 AP Player of the Year, and earned three All-ACC nods. He also collected a Wooden and Naismith Award in his career along with winning the Rupp Trophy. His numbers during Duke’s national title season were absurd. He averaged 21.6 points, 6.1 assists, 2.0 steals, and shot 42.7% from three.
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3. JJ Redick – PG
Years at Duke: 2002-06
JJ Redick is still the greatest scorer in Duke history as he holds the career record for points after a stellar four-year career with the Blue Devils. Redick averaged 19.9 points per game in h🐬is career and had an absurd 26.8 points per game his senior year 🔯while shooting 42.1% from deep.
Redick was a career 40.6% shooter from three and lit up scoreboards to help him be named an All-Ame๊rican twice and win the ACC Player of the Year Award twice. Redick was the AP Player of the Year in 2005-06, a two-time Ruppy Trophy winner, and also won the Naismith and Wooden Awards.
Red💛ick wa🌊s an insane shooter and holds Duke records for career threes made and career free throw percentage.
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2. Grant Hill – SF
Years at Duke: 1990-94
Grant Hill was a back-to-back national champion and led Duke to another championship game appearance as a senior when the Blue Devils lost to Arkansas. Hill averaged 14.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.7 steals in his career. He was e🐼fficient from the field shooting 53.2% and added a 37.6% three-point average for his career.
As a senior, Hill averaged 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds,🍸 5.2 assists, and 1.9 steals to show he was a well-rounded pla❀yer before getting drafted third overall in the 1994 NBA Draft. In the
He was a two-time All-American, made the All-ACC Team three times, and was the 1993-94 ACC Player of the Year. Also, who could forget Hill making the pass to Christian L𓂃aettner who ജhit the game-winner vs Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight? One of the most iconic moments in NCAA basketball history.
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1. Christian Laettner – PF
Years at Duke: 1988-92
Christian Laettner is one of the greatest college basketball players of all time. That has Laettner sitting as the best Duke player of all time. Laettner reached the Final Four in all four years of his Duke career, played in three national championship games, and ﷺwon back-to꧅-back national titles.
Laettner averaged 16.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per g𓂃ame in his career with his best season coming in 1991-92. That year, Laettner averaged 21.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 steals as he led the Blue Devils to their second national championship in a row.
He was a great shooter averaging 57.4% from the field and 48.5% from three (1.1 attempts per game). His trophy case is full as he won the Wooden and Naismith Awards along with the Rupp Trophy. Also, h🎐e won the ACC Player of the Year, the AP Player of the Year, the NCAA Tournament Most Oustanding Player, and made two All-American teams in his illustrious career.
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