Duke Basketball: Picking Coach K's Top 15 Favorite Players During His Reign

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Duke is one of the most prestigious basketball programs in the nation.  The reason: They are led by legendary Coach Mike Krzyzewski. 

Throughout the years, Coach K has been blessed with tremendous basketball talent.  He also has been blessed with great team players who take his coaching philosophy and embrace it.

Here is a list of his top 15 favorite players during his reign in Durham. This list is composed of Blue Devil greats—teams and team captains who attained four national championships, eleven ACC titles.

Honorable Mentions

Craig Jones/Getty Images

Carlos Boozer

Demarcus Nelson

Mike Dunleavy

Chris Carrawell

Nate James

Trajon Langdon

Billy King

Jay Bilas

Chris Collins

Tommy Amaker

Player Info:

6'-0'' • 155 • G
High School: Falls Church, Va. (W.T. Woodson)
Played: 1984-87
Birthday: June 6, 1965 (Falls Church, Virginia)

Player Stats:

Points: 1,168

Rebounds: 308

Assists: 708

Steals: 259

Reason Why:

Coach K knew Amaker was good as soon as he came to Durham.  He made him the teams starting point guard during his freshmen season.  Amaker played shutdown defense and improved offensively each year. 

Amaker worked hard to improve his game every season, which Coach K admired.  Shortly after graduation, and a failed shot at the NBA ,he returned to Duke to become a graduate assistant. 

Amaker has since been the head coach at Seton Hall, Michigan, and now Harvard.  He owes much of his success in Coach K, who taught him how to play the game of basketball the right way.

Danny Ferry

Player Info:

6'-10'' • 230 • C/F
High School: Bowie, Md. (DeMatha Catholic)
Played: 1986-89
Birthday: October 17 (Hyattsville, Md.)

Player Stats:

Points: 2,155

Rebounds: 1,003

Assists: 506

Steals: 169

Blocks: 71

Reason Why:

Danny Ferry was dominant during his Duke career.  He helped lead the Blue Devils to three final four appearances in his four years.  Ferry was also honored with the 1989 Naismith College Player of the Year award. 

Ferry failed to win a title in his three final four trips, but was still one of the greatest players to ever play in Durham.  Coach K's star player would elevate the program to national stardom and help recruit many of the Duke greats that followed. 

Danny Ferry on Coach K:

"Coach K had such a great influence on me about how I'm a dad, how I'm a husband, how I do my job now. I'm working in the front office of a team. That is a model for me, a model I've gotten to live through. I'm the coach of my family team, basically. The willingness to communicate, open up, show passion, the right way to do things -- are all things I was exposed to at a very intense level in playing for him."

Nolan Smith

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-2'' • 185 • G
High School: Upper Marlboro, Md. (Oak Hill Academy,Va.)
Played: 2008-11
Birthdate: July 25, 1988 (Louisville, Ky.)

Player Stats:

Points: 1,911

Rebounds: 398

Assists: 406

Steals: 140

Reason Why:

Nolan Smith transformed himself from a solid role player into a superstar during his Duke career.  In 2010, he helped Coach K capture his fourth NCAA championship.  Smith is a class act and was a true embodiment of a Coach K athlete. 

Last season, Smith had to take on the role of point guard when star recruit Kyrie Irving went down with a toe injury.  Smith didn't complain and took the challenge of the new position head-on, becoming one of the best players in the nation while playing unselfishly.

Shelden Williams

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-9'' • 250 • F
High School: Forest Park, Okla. (Midwest City)
Played: 2003-06
Birthday: October 21, 1983 (Oklahoma City, Okla)

Player Stats:

Points: 1,928

Rebounds: 1,262

Assists: 119

Steals: 161

Blocks: 422

Reason Why:

The "Landlord" did many great things during his college career.  One of those was what Coach K preaches day in and day out, "play great defense."  Williams is Duke's all-time leader in blocks and rebounds and was a force in the paint. 

He is the last great Duke big man in a program that is known for having impressive wings and point guards are not big men.

Williams teamed up with J.J. Redick to make one of the best duos in college basketball.  Williams wasn't a very vocal leader and preferred to lead by example.

It took time before Coach K warmed up to Williams. He wasn't much of a leader in his first two seasons.  After his sophomore campaign, Williams became virtually unstoppable. Coach K is still searching for his next Shelden Williams, a dominant defensive enforcer.

J.J. Redick

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-4'' • 190 • G
High School: Roanoke, Va. (Cave Spring)
Played: 2003-06
Birthday: June 24 (Cookeville, Tenn.)

Player Stats:

Points: 2,769

Rebounds: 375

Assists: 306

Steals: 152

Reason Why:

Cocky. Arrogant. Showman.  J.J. Redick was called all of these during his college career.  He was one of the most loved and hated college athletes in history.

Redick, the greatest scorer in Duke history, was loved by Coach K.  Redick could light up the scoreboard and would show a fiery passion that Coach K wanted from all his athletes.  Redick didn't care about what others thought of him as he thrived under the pressure and attention. 

Redick's friendship with Coach K was based on their great desire to win.  Coach K expects his players to play their hardest and that is exactly what J.J. Redick did during his Duke career.

J.J. Redick on Coach K:

"Coach K is not like other human beings. He doesn't have off-days. I've never been around Coach when he hasn't been great, whether he's coaching or just talking to you."

Chris Duhon

Craig Jones/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-1'' • 190 • G
High School: Slidell, La. (Salmen)
Played: 2001-04
Birthday: August 31, 1982 (Mamou, La.)

Player Stats:

Points: 1,268

Rebounds: 489

Assists: 819

Steals: 301

Reason Why:

Chris Duhon stepped into the starting lineup on the very talented 2001 National Championship team when Carlos Boozer was sidelined with an injury and played tremendously.

From there Coach K knew he had a player.  He possessed great defense and, like other great Duke point guards, would become a tremendous on-court leader.

As you can tell from this list Coach K is very fond of point guards as he was once one himself.

Chris Duhon on Coach K:

"Coach K is not only a wonderful coach, a wonderful family man, but to me he is the father I never had. I don't know how I can ever thank him for that."

Jay Williams

Craig Jones/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-2'' • 195 • G
High School: Plainfield, N.J. (St. Joseph's)
Played: 2000-02
Birthday: September 10, 1981 (Plainfield, N.J)

Player Stats:

Points: 2,079

Rebounds: 395

Assists: 644

Steals: 235

Reason Why:

Jay Williams was one of the greatest talents Coach K ever coached.  Blessed with tremendous ability, Williams would have been an NBA star if not for a career threatening motorcycle accident after only one NBA season.

Williams was a terrific college player as he led Coach K to his third NCAA national championship in 2001.  Williams is one of the few players on the list to not stay all four years.  However, in three years he accomplished pretty much all you can do. 

His accomplishments include winning the ACC Freshmen of the Year, Naismith College Basketball Player of the Year, and a national championship.  Coach K loved Williams leadership abilities and still to this day says he was one of the greatest players he ever coached.  Coach K even compared Williams ability to that of current MVP Derrick Rose.  Talk about high praise.

Jay Williams on Coach K:

"So many people say about coaches: this is the guy who can teach you things or this is a guy who is a great strategist. Coach K does all that, but he coaches you in more than basketball. He coaches you in life. He coaches you to be a man. It's a dream to play for a guy like that -- a guy who's just a rock, who believes in you every second. I love Coach K. I'd run through a brick wall for him."

Bobby Hurley

Ken Levine/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-2'' • 165 • G
High School: Jersey City, N.J. (St. Anthony's)
Played: 1990-93
Birthday: June 28, 1971 (Jersey City, N.J)

Player Stats:

Points:1,731

Rebounds: 306

Assists: 1,076

Steals: 202

Reason Why:

Bobby Hurley is another great Duke point guard whose pro career was derailed by a vehicle accident.  

During his time at Duke, Hurley was simply tremendous.  Currently, he is the all-time college assists leader. His court vision, passing ability, and leadership skills were something to marvel at.

Coach K's point guard in the early 90s led a team that reached three final fours and won back to back national championships.

Hurley was brilliant at finding his teammates and was an extension of Coach K on the court.

Bobby Hurley on Coach K:

"I think Coach K stayed true to who he was as a person growing up as a kid in Chicago and the toughness he had. You want to find something in life you can be passionate about and go after it. That is what he does."

Kyle Singler

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-8'' • 230 • F
High School: Medford, Ore. (South Medford)
Played: 2008-11
Birthdate: May 4, 1988 (Medford, Ore.)

Player Stats:

Points: 2,392

Rebounds: 1,015

Assists: 293

Steals: 168

Blocks: 107

Reason Why:

Kyle Singler is seventh all-time in most NCAA games player.  To put that into perspective, he started every game in his college career except for one in his sophomore season.  Thus, Coach K knew this kid had the brains and the talent to succeed. 

Coach K had full trust in Singler and he paid him back.  Singler was named 2010 Final Four MVP and helped Coach K accumulate a 125-23 record the last four years.

Kyle Singler on Coach K:

"Growing up, when I first got exposed to watching basketball on TV, Duke was always the team that I watched. Once I started playing, I used to think to myself that when I practiced, I was practicing to be a Blue Devil. I just love Coach K and the Duke program; they recruit good people and have good people around the program, which is something I really admire."

Steve Wojceichowski

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Player Info:

5'-11'' • 180 • G
High School: Severna Park, Md. (Cardinal Gibbons)
Played: 1995-98
Birthday: August 11, 1976

Player Stats:

Points: 687

Rebounds: 291

Assists: 505

Steals: 203

Reason Why:

One thing that Steve "Wojo" Wojceichowski and Coach Krzyzewski have in common are names that are impossible to pronounce and spell.  However, that's not the only thing they have in common.

Wojo was one of the fiercest competitors to ever put on a Blue Devil uniform.  He was known for his trademark slapping of the floor and his upbeat attitude which would pump up the Cameron Crazies.

Wojo's career was not as polished as many of the players on this list.  However, what he lacked in talent he made up for in sheer heart and passion.  Wojo is currently an associate coach on Coach K's staff. 

Steve Wojceichowski on Coach K:

"When I met Coach K, I understood it was an honor to meet somebody who was going to go down as one of the greatest coaches in history. There are a lot of really good college coaches, a lot of programs where I like the way their teams played. But his program was different: just the way he interacted with the guys; the way he carried himself; the way his team played; and the way his team came together. The way Duke guys carried themselves; the way they competed; the way they played hard, smart, together -- his fingerprints are on all those things."

Johnny Dawkins

Paul Abell/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-2'' • 170 • G
High School: Washington, D.C. (Mackin Catholic)
Played: 1983-86
Birthday: September 28, 1963 (Washington, D.C.)

Player Stats:

Points:2,556

Rebounds: 536

Assists: 555

Steals: 168

Reason Why:

Johnny Dawkins is one of Coach K’s coaching protégés and now the current head coach of the Stanford Cardinal.  During his playing days, Dawkins was a tough competitor and leader.

Dawkins was one of the greatest Duke scorers in ACC history, as he had a knack for putting the ball in the basket.  Dawkins would fall short of bringing Duke a national championship as they fell to Louisville in 1986 by a score of 72 to 69.

Coach K loved his positive demeanor and would eventually bring him back as an associate head coach.

Johnny Dawkins on Coach K:

"Coach K is grounded. Has he changed? Yeah. But his values haven't. He is still a going-to-church-early-Sunday-morning type of guy. He is still the same coach who coached me. He is still a believer in where this program could be and what it could represent. He's always had a vision. He still coaches like he has something to prove. Here is a man who is just as passionate about something today as he was when he first started. You can only dream about being passionate about something 30 years later."

Grant Hill

Doug Pensinger/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-8'' • 225 • F/G
High School: Reston, Va. (South Lakes)
Played: 1991-94
Birthday: October 5, 1972 (Dallas, Texas)

Player Stats:

Points: 1,924

Rebounds: 769

Assists: 461

Steals: 218

Blocks: 133

Reason Why:

Grant Hill is probably the greatest Duke NBA product ever.  He was an all-around superstar and could have been one of the greatest NBA players ever if his career was not derailed by injuries. He was still a very productive pro who currently plays for the Phoenix Suns at age 38.

Hill was dynamic at Duke and was part of the team that won back to back national championships.  Hill also led the Blue Devils to the 1994 championship game before falling to Arkansas.

Grant Hill, like others, has said how Coach K was not just a basketball coach but taught life lessons. Coach K and Hill remain close to this day.

Grant Hill on Coach K:

"The most important thing of all about Coach K is that he taught me the principles and values that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Those principles and values transcend basketball. They can be a guide for success in whatever you do in life -- whether that is running a big business, ministering to a church, coaching a sports team, or simply trying to achieve your dreams."

Christian Laettner

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-11'' • 235 • F/C
High School: Angola, N.Y. (Nichols School)
Played: 1989-92
Birthday: August 17, 1969 (Angola, N.Y)

Player Stats:

Points: 2,460

Rebounds: 1,149

Assists: 273

Steals: 243

Blocks: 145

Reason Why:

Christian Laettner's Duke career is most famous for his miraculous game winner shot verse Kentucky in the East Regional final of the 1992 NCAA Tournament.

Laettner was so clutch during the Duke dynasty of the early '90s.  He was a winner, plain and simple.  Coach K embraced his star player and rode him all the way to two titles.

Christian Laettner on Coach K:

"You can go anywhere if you want to be a basketball player. If you want to learn what excellence is and be the best leader, basketball player and person you can be, then these guys will tell you -- from Johnny Dawkins to Grant Hill to Shane Battier and all of the guys -- there is no one like Coach K."

Jon Scheyer

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-5'' • 190 • G
High School: Northbrook, Ill. (Glenbrook North)
Played: 2007-10
Birthday: August 24, 1987 (Chicago, Ill.)

Player Stats:

Points: 2,077

Rebounds: 522

Assists: 440

Steals: 208

Reason Why:

Coach K said after their 2010 National Championship, ''It's not about the moments that I've been in, it's the moments that your players put you in right now, I'm really happy for this group....It's as close a team as I've had. You want great things to happen for people who are great with us.''

One of those great people Coach K is describing is Jon Scheyer.  Scheyer was undoubtedly one of Coach K's all-time favorite players because he fought through adversity and always got the most out of his talent. 

You could see the emotion on Coach K's face after their victory verse Butler and Scheyer was a big reason why.

Jon Scheyer on Coach K:

"Coach K is a great person, not only a great coach but a great person. The best word to describe him is honest. Whether it is on the basketball court or off the court, he will tell you exactly how he feels, good and bad. That is something I respect about him. In my relationship with Coach, I know he will always be straight with me and I will be the same way back."

Shane Battier

Brian Bahr/Getty Images

Player Info:

6'-8'' • 220 • F
High School: Birmingham, Mich. (Country Day)
Played: 1998-01
Birthday: September 9, 1978 (Birmingham, Michigan)

Player Stats:

Points: 1,984

Rebounds: 887

Assists: 239

Steals: 266

Blocks: 254

Reason Why:

Shane Battier is the epitome of a Coach K player.  Tough, smart, determined, gritty, and coachable.  Battier had an amazing college career at Duke which was capped off by an NCAA title.

Coach K knew what he was getting out of Battier every game and that was pure determination.  Battier was also a great person off the court, which symbolized what Coach K wanted—a true student-athlete.  That is why Shane Battier comes out as Coach K's favorite player during his reign in Durham.

Shane Battier on Coach K:

"It's very rare, especially in an athletic world that is so focused on winning games, to find a man who both inspires and demands adherence to higher principles. With Coach, it's not just about winning games, it's about performing with class and integrity. It's about having fun along the way. It's about knowing who you are. And it's about continually improving yourself. There wasn't a day in my career at Duke that I didn't look him in the eye and believe what he said to me. He's a mentor. He's a friend. He's a coach. He's a brother."