Duke Blue Devils Basketball: The Top 50 Players in School History

Duke basketball has been one of the dominant programs in college basketball, and these are the 50 greatest players in the history of one of the greatest schools of all time.

Mike Krzyzewski has led this team back to college basketball glory, including a national title in 2010.

When a program like Duke has four national titles and 15 Final Four appearances under their belt, they are bound to have some excellent players.

Over the history of the program, Duke has had nine national players of the year and six national defensive players of the year.

Among these players are NBA greats, current coaches and more.

Honorable Mentions

These players all deserve an honorable mention for this list. Some did not make it because they didn't play long enough, while others have been pushed off the list because newer players have outperformed them.

Honorable Mention: Kyrie Irving, Bernie Janicki, Carroll Youngkin, Thomas Hill and Rudy D'Emilio.

50. Brian Davis

Brian Davis was the behind-the-scenes guy who led Duke to back-to-back national titles in 1991 and 1992.

He contributed well on offense, but his forte was on the defensive end. He was the type of player that opposing fans didn't notice, but opposing coaches and players always had to take into consideration.

49. Billy King

Now a general manager for the New Jersey Nets in the NBA, Billy King was a player for Duke in the mid-to-late 1980s.

King did not do much on the offensive side of the floor, averaging only 4.5 points per game over his four-year career, but he was an excellent defensive player. He won the National Defensive Player of Year in 1988.

48. Robert Brickey

Robert Brickey was a very athletic forward for Duke, and he was an exciting player to watch.

Brickey was a good player who averaged double-digit points per game for his career, and he is in the top 50 all-time for scoring for the Blue Devils.

47. William Avery

William Avery was a point guard who played only two years for Duke, but he led the 1999 team that lost in the final game of the NCAA tournament.

Averaging 11 points and 3 assists per game, Avery was a good player who went to the NBA early; he would have been much higher on this list if he had stayed.

46. Jay Bilas

Jay Bilas played for Duke basketball before he became an ESPN analyst.

The way he talks about his playing days makes it sound like he was more of a coach than a player, but he was actually pretty good.

Bilas' stats of 8 points and 5 assists per game were not very impressive, but he was smart enough to realize what a defense was doing and how to attack them.

45. Kenny Dennard

Kenny Dennard didn't blow you away when you looked at his stats, but when you watched him you could tell that he was a hard-working player who was an example for his teammates.

Playing in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Dennard averaged 9 points and 5 rebounds per game in his four years, but was consistent throughout. His hard work paid off, and he was named a Duke senior captain in his last year.

44. Phil Henderson

Phil Henderson played for Duke in the late 1980s. He was a VERY skinny player, and most people who saw him would not have pegged him as a basketball player because of his lack of size.

Henderson may have been skinny, but he was not short, and that helped him dunk over Alonzo Mourning in the 1989 NCAA tournament. Henderson averaged 12 points per game during his career, and 18 in his senior season.

43. Luol Deng

Luol Deng played at Duke for one season before moving to the NBA. While it wasn't a very long time, Deng was a great contributor to a Final Four team.

Deng averaged 15 points per game as a freshman. Yes, as a freshman. He led all freshmen in scoring, and he was arguably Duke's best player on that team.

It's too bad that he didn't return for all four years; his jersey would be hanging in Cameron.

42. Chris Collins

Chris Collins is an assistant coach for the Blue Devils, and he was once a player, too.

Collins was a great leader even during college, and he was a good shooter and defender, as well. He was a good player in all four of his years, but his senior year was incredible: he averaged 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds per game.

41. Jeff Capel

Jeff Capel was a very solid player at Duke, averaging over 12 points per game in his four-year career. He was a great leader who was the son of a coach, and he is now a coach for the Blue Devils.

Known best for his buzzer-beating shot that extended a game between Duke and arch-rival North Carolina, Capel's career was more than just one big shot.

40. David Henderson

David Henderson seemed to be a let-down for Blue Devils fans, as they were trying to land Curtis Hunter, who instead went to North Carolina.

Hunter didn't do as well as expected, however, while Henderson averaged 12 points and 4 rebounds per game.

Henderson was a big part of the 1986 national runner-up team, and he did very well in his four years with Duke.

39. Kevin Strickland

Kevin Strickland played four seasons at Duke, but was only a big player in his last two.

Strickland was a great guard in the 1980s, and he averaged 13 points and 4 assists per game in his last two seasons. He played on two Final Four teams.

38. Dahntay Jones

Dahntay Jones only played two years at Duke, but being a transfer from Rutgers, Jones was an immediate contributor.

Jones averaged 14 points and 5 rebounds per game in his two seasons, but he was known for occasional big dunks and his constant hard-nosed defense, a trait that he is known for in the NBA.

Jones was also an All-ACC selection in 2003.

37. Roshown McLeod

Roshown McLeod was the key to the rebuilding of Duke Basketball in the mid-1990s. After winning back-to-back national titles, Duke was looking weak, but McLeod helped turn that image around.

A solid player, McLeod's 14 points and 5 boards per game helped lead Duke to an Elite Eight appearance in his senior season and got him a first-team All-ACC selection in 1998.

36. Alaa Abdelnaby

Alaa Abdelnaby was a decent player for his first two years at Duke, but he developed into a major contributor for the Blue Devils in his last two.

Abdelnaby kept on getting better, including averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds per game in his senior season. Abdelnaby had good intangibles and was part of some of Duke's best teams.

Abdelnaby played on three Final Four teams in his four seasons, including the 1990 team that lost in the national championship game.

35. Nate James

Nate James came to Duke as a scoring threat, but injuries took that aspect of his game away. He then became a great leader and one of the toughest players Duke has ever seen.

James surrendered a starting role late in the 2001 season, a sacrifice that helped Duke win the NCAA tournament. He only averaged about 8 points and 3 rebounds per game in his career, but he was defined more by leadership than anything else.

James is now an assistant coach for Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils.

34. Cherokee Parks

Cherokee Parks was known as "The Chief" during his time in Durham. There were high expectations for Parks, but injuries held him back, and he never quite lived up to the expectations.

Parks played for the 1992 team that won the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row, but he played very few minutes. He also played for the 1994 national runner-up, contributing 14 points and 8 rebounds.

In his fours years, he averaged over 12 points and 6 rebounds per game.

33. Tommy Amaker

Tommy Amaker was a typical Duke player. In other words, he played great defense and was a solid contributor on offense.

Amaker was a teammate of Johnny Dawkins, and they made up a stellar backcourt. He averaged 8.5 points and 5 assists per game in his four seasons, and his exceptional defense won him the National Defensive Player of the Year award.

Amaker is now in the Duke Sports Hall of Fame for his embodiment of Duke basketball.

32. Trajan Langdon

Trajan Langdon was a prolific scorer for the Blue Devils. A top-15 scorer all-time, he had great range and accuracy.

Langdon helped return Duke to glory after their disappointing ending to the 1995 season. He also played through injuries to help lead the dominant 1999 team that fell one game short of the title.

For his career, Langdon averaged 15 points per game and shot over 40 percent from three-point range.

31. Mike Lewis

Mike Lewis was a good scorer and rebounder and excellent defender. Lewis was the typical Duke player, and he was highly successful.

Lewis is one of the most successful rebounders in Duke history, averaging 12.5 per game and finishing with 1,051, which was the most in history at the time.

Lewis also scored 1,416 points in his career and was an all-around good player. He played several years in the ABA.

30. Tate Armstrong

Tate Armstrong was one of the most improved players in Duke history, and his jump from his sophomore to junior season was incredible.

After averaging less than 10 points per game in his first two seasons, he averaged more than 20 points per game his last two. He finished his career averaging 15 points per game and was an All-ACC selection.

29. Kyle Singler

Kyle Singler just graduated after his senior season with the Duke Blue Devils. Now in the NBA, Singler was a great player, but unfortunately did not live up to expectations in his senior season.

After a stellar junior season in which he averaged 17.7 points and 7 rebounds per game, Singler was the clear favorite for National Player of the Year before the season, but his numbers actually decreased across the board.

Singler was still a great player for Duke and averaged double-digit points in every season of his career, but he could have been higher on this list.

28. Elton Brand

Elton Brand only played two years at Duke, but he left an impression. Brand was not particularly big, but he was mean enough that most mothers wouldn't want their sons playing against him.

Brand was nasty, and he dominated inside the paint, averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds per game in his two seasons. If he had not gone to the NBA early, he would have been a top 10 player on this list.

27. Jim Spanarkel

Jim Spanarkel was a big player for Duke in the mid-to-late 1970s, right before Mike Krzyzewski stepped in. Coming from New Jersey, Spanarkel was one of the earlier Jersey guards to play for Duke, and there have been many more in recent years.

Spanarkel was a great player, averaging 17 points and 4 assists per game in his four years at Duke. He was a first-team All-ACC player twice and a first-team All-American in 1979. He is a member of the Duke Sports Hall of Fame.

26. Mike Dunleavy

Mike Dunleavy came into college looking like a guard, but grew enough to become a small forward. Once he became accustomed to his new body, Dunleavy became a great player.

After playing a crucial role for the 2001 National Champion Blue Devils, Dunleavy came back for one more season of college basketball before leaving for the NBA.

Dunleavy averaged about 13 points and six rebounds per game in his three seasons in college basketball, including 17.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game during his final year.

25. Jon Scheyer

Jon Scheyer is another recently graduated player, as he graduated after Duke won the 2010 NCAA tournament.

A great shooter, Scheyer drew comparisons to J.J. Redick, but he also developed into the type of player who could drive through the lane. He averaged double-digit points every year of his career, including 18.2 in his senior season.

Scheyer was not incredibly athletic, and therefore is no in the NBA, but he is playing overseas.

24. Nolan Smith

Nolan Smith graduated from Duke after last season and went on to the NBA. He was one of the best guards Duke has seen, both as a shooting guard and a point guard.

After Kyrie Irving's injury last season, Smith was forced to become a point guard, and he did so nicely. He averaged 21.3 points, 5.2 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game last season, leading the Blue Devils to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Smith's incredible stats and excellent defensive game put him in the conversation for National Player of the Year, but he had to settle for ACC Player of the Year.

23. Jack Marin

Jack Marin was one the best scorers in Duke history. He was in the top 10 for Duke's all-time scorers when he graduated after four seasons.

Marin averaged 15 points per game over his career, but he also averaged 8 rebounds per contest. Marin did not just score in bunches, but he played hard on every play.

22. Carlos Boozer

Carlos Boozer was not fully developed when he entered college basketball. As he matured, he became a force. An undersized player for a center, Boozer found ways to make his presence felt.

A team captain and third-team All-American in 2002, Boozer averaged 15 points and 7 rebounds per game over his three seasons.

Boozer helped lead the 2001 Duke team to a national championship despite a serious foot injury.

21. Chris Carrawell

Chris Carrawell was the type of player who would do whatever it took to win. He played just about every position when he was at Duke, and one of the more memorable moments of his career came when he  guarded Wake Forest's Tim Duncan, despite being only 6'6".

After multiple surgeries he came to Duke, where Mike Krzyzewski kept finding ways to use him. He averaged only 10 points per game in his four-year career, but he really impressed in his senior season, averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game.

Carrawell was the ACC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American in his senior season (2000).

20. Randy Denton

Randy Denton was one of the elite centers the Duke Blue Devils have had. Playing before Mike Krzyzewski came to town, Denton averaged more than 20 points per game in his last two years, and almost 13 rebounds per game over his career.

Denton was a force in the paint on both ends of the floor, was an All-ACC selection in 1971, and is now part of the Duke Sports Hall of Fame.

19. Chris Duhon

Chris Duhon came to Duke and played along side Jason Williams in his freshman season, but he emerged as the top point guard in his last three.

After helping win the NCAA tournament in 2001, Duhon took control of the team. He was a good leader who could create for other or score if necessary. In his four seasons he averaged 9 points, 6 assists and even 4 rebounds per game.

Duhon was the 2001 ACC Rookie of the Year and a third-team All-American in 2004.

18. Steve Wojciechowski

Steve Wojciechowski did not impress anyone with his stats, but he was arguably the best leader the Blue Devils have ever had.

Wojo was an incredibly intense player who constantly put his body on the line. He would be the player diving into the stands for balls even if he didn't have much of a chance, but he would do whatever it took to win. He was the leader who slapped the floor, and that made him a fan favorite.

He was a great defender, winning the National Defensive Player of the Year award in 1997. He was arguably the most-hated Blue Devil in history, and that proves that he deserves to be on this list.

17. Gene Banks

Gene Banks was arguably the first great player that Mike Krzyzewski coached, but Coach K did not recruit him. Krzyzewski inherited Banks in 1980, and Banks led Coach K's first team.

Banks averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds per game. He was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 1978 and was named to the All-ACC team in 1981. He is now in the Duke Sports Hall of Fame.

16. Bob Verga

Bob Verga was another talented player during the 1960s for the Duke Blue Devils, and he helped the program gain prestige before Coach K came to town.

Verga only played three seasons with the Blue Devils, but he averaged 22 points and 4 rebounds per game. He is currently No. 16 on the all-time scoring list for the Blue Devils with 1,758 points.

Verga is now in the Duke Sports Hall of Fame, and it would have been nice to see what he could have done in one more season of basketball.

15. Steve Vacendak

Steve Vacendak is a member of the Duke Sports Hall of Fame.

Vacendak was part of the talented mid-1960s Duke teams, scoring 11 points per game over his three-year career. He was a centerpiece and was named the 1966 ACC Player of the Year.

14. Mark Alarie

Mark Alarie played for Duke in the mid 1980s. He was part of one of Mike Krzyzewski's first big recruiting classes.

Alarie was a prolific scorer, averaging 16.1 points per game in his four-year career, but he could also rebound, averaging 6.3 boards per game. He is now sixth on Duke's all-time scoring list with 2,136 points.

Alarie was part of the 1986 runner-up team that led Duke to Coach K's first Final Four.

13. Shelden Williams

Shelden Williams is one of the elite big men to have played for the Duke Blue Devils. From 2001-2005 he dominated the paint and was the force inside who complemented J.J. Redick's outside game.

Williams was a beast, averaging 15 points and 11 rebounds in his incredible senior season. His 85 blocked shots also helped him reach a Duke record 232 and win the Defensive Player of the Year.

With his No. 23 jersey in the rafters in Cameron Indoor Stadium, he is the first player on this list to have been forever honored by the Blue Devils.

12. Jeff Mullins

Jeff Mullins was the secondary man in the early 1960s for the Duke Blue Devils, and he and teammate Art Heyman were the reason Duke was successful at this time.

Mullins posted great numbers (21 points and 9 rebounds per game) throughout his three-year career. He was one of the best players in the pre-Krzyzewski era, and he kept proving it.

Mullins won the ACC Player of the Year award in 1964, the year after Heyman in 1963. Mullins' jersey was retired in 1994.

11. Mike Gminski

Mike Gminski was a great player for the Duke Blue Devils from 1976-80. He was one of the youngest players to play for Duke, but he was seven feet tall and had the skill to justify his place on the team.

Gminski had a great four-year career at Duke, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds per game. When he graduated from Duke, he held the records for career points (2,323), rebounds (1,242), and blocked shots (345).

Gminski was an ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Player of the Year, and his jersey is now retired.

10. Danny Ferry

Danny Ferry is often lost in the conversation of Duke greats. Sure, you can talk about Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, J.J. Redick, Johnny Dawkins and more, but Ferry should be in there too.

Ferry was a good small forward who could score inside or out, and he made it to three Final Fours in his four seasons, averaging 15 points and 7 rebounds per game in his career.

Ferry was an honored player, winning the ACC Player of the Year in 1988 and 1989, and being named a First-Team All-American and National Player of the Year in 1989, as well. His jersey is now retired.

9. Shane Battier

Shane Battier was the go-to guy for the 2001 National Champion Duke Blue Devils, but it did not start out that way.

Battier did not impress much in his first two seasons, averaging only 7.6 and 9.1 points per game, respectively, but he stepped it up for his junior and senior years.

Battier made massive improvements in his game between the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons, and he emerged as Duke's best player for his last two seasons, averaging 17.4 and 19.1 points per game, respectively.

A great all-around player, Battier was not just a scorer. He also won the National Defensive Player of the Year three times (1999-2001), and was the National Player of the Year in 2001. Battier was a quiet, humble leader, but he was possibly the best leader Duke has ever had.

8. Dick Groat

Dick Groat was the superstar for the Duke Blue Devils from 1949-52. In his three seasons, Groat averaged more than 20 points per game and was a team leader.

Groat was drafted in the first round of the 1952 NBA Draft, but decided that an athlete of his caliber couldn't be limited to one sport. Groat also played in the MLB for 10 seasons, going to five All-Star Games and winning the National League MVP Award in 1962.

7. Jason Williams

Jay Williams came in as a shooting guard, but left as the second best point guard in Duke history, despite going to the NBA after only three seasons.

Despite switching roles, Williams averaged good numbers at both guard positions, including about 19 points and 6 assists per game in his three-year career. Perhaps his best performance was a game in which he led Duke past Maryland despite trailing by 10 points in the final minute.

Williams was the National Player of the Year and a First-Team All-American in 2001 and 2002, and he led the 2001 team to Duke's third NCAA tournament title.

Needless to say, Williams' jersey is now in the rafters at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and he would have been No. 1 on this list if he had come back for his senior year.

6. Art Heyman

Art Heyman is not a very well-known player because he played before Mike Krzyzewski took over, but he was one heck of a player.

Heyman was a beast inside, averaging over 25 points and 10 rebounds per game in his three years at Duke (1960-63). He was hated by anyone who played him because of his abilities, and he was a game-changer for Duke.

The former National Player of the Year and No. 1-overall pick in the 1963 NBA Draft now has his jersey hanging in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

5. Johnny Dawkins

Johnny Dawkins was Mike Krzyzewski's first major recruit, and he was a great player from 1982-86.

Dawkins averaged 19.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, and was a First-Team All-American twice. He led the 1986 Duke team to the championship game, but they lost.

Dawkins came in and contributed immediately, scoring 18.1 points per game to go along with 4.8 assists and 4.1 rebounds as a freshman. In his senior season, he averaged 20.2 points and won Player of the Year.

Dawkins came back to coach at Duke before moving on to Stanford. His jersey is now retired.

4. J.J. Redick

J.J. Redick is the all-time leading scorer for the Duke Blue Devils, and second leading scorer in Atlantic Coast Conference history. Known as a dangerous three-point-shooter who moved well without the ball, Redick nailed an NCAA record 457 threes in his four years at Duke.

He averaged 17 points and shot about 40 percent from behind the arc in his career from 2002-06. Redick was a huge threat for all opponents because he could beat them with a three or drive and shoot free throws with incredible success. In 2006 when Redick developed into more than just a scorer, he became arguably the best college basketball player.

After winning seemingly every award he could in 2006, Redick went on to the NBA, while his jersey was  strung up in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

3. Bobby Hurley

Bobby Hurley is the best point guard the Duke Blue Devils have ever had, and he led their team from 1989-93.

Hurley is the NCAA's all-time assist leader with 1,076. He averaged 12.4 points and a ridiculous 7.7 assists per game in his career, and he helped lead the Blue Devils to back-to-back titles in 1992 and 1993.

Hurley was a First-Team All-American in 1993, after winning Final Four MVP honors. His No. 11 jersey was retired in 1993.

2. Grant Hill

Grant Hill was one of the most gifted players in college basketball history, but he can only grab the No. 2 spot on this list.

From 1990-94, Hill was a great player for Mike Krzyzewski and the Duke Blue Devils. He made the Final Four three times, with the only exception being in 1993, and won the NCAA tournament in 1991 and 1992.

Hill averaged 14.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game in his four-year career. Hill was an athletic, 6'8" forward who could do it all, but injuries marred what should have been a good NBA career.

Hill was the National Defensive Player of the Year in 1993 and a First-Team All-American in 1994. His jersey is now retired as well.

1. Christian Laettner

Christian Laettner is the best player in Duke's long history, which spans over a century of basketball.

He is known best for his legendary shot against Kentucky in the 1992 Elite Eight to send Duke to their fifth straight Final Four, and helping them eventually win the NCAA tournament. Laettner was also a leader who played forward/center and a winner.

Laettner went to the Final Four in every year in his career with Duke, and averaged 16.6 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. He was constantly improving, going from averaging 8.9 points per game in his freshman year to 21.5 in his senior year.

Two of his many awards included consensus National Player of the Year in 1992 and a First-Team All-American, and his jersey now resides in the rafters in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Josh Schoch is an aspiring sports writer dedicated to bringing you everything related to Duke basketball, college basketball, the MLB, NBA, NFL and more. Follow him on Twitter.