What NBA Players Played for Duke?

We all know that Duke is a powerhouse when it comes to college basketball. But did you know that some of your favorite NBA players also donned the Duke blue and white? Check out this list of NBA players who played for Duke!

Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson was the first overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. He played one year of college basketball for Duke. Zion was named the Consensus National Player of the Year and the NABC Player of the Year.

High School

Zion Williamson was born in Salisbury, North Carolina, on July 6, 2000. He played high school basketball for Spartanburg Day School in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Williamson led his team to four straight state championships and was named Mr. Basketball for South Carolina in both his junior and senior seasons. He was also a McDonald’s All-American and a Jordan Brand Classic All-American.

Williamson originally committed to play college basketball for the University of Kansas, but he later changed his mind and chose to attend Duke University.

College

Zion Williamson played one year of college basketball for Duke before being drafted first overall in the 2019 NBA draft by the New Orleans Pelicans.

NBA

Zion Williamson is one of the most anticipated young NBA players in recent memory. The former Duke University superstar was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft, and he did not disappoint in his rookie season with the New Orleans Pelicans.

While at Duke, Williamson was part of a star-studded lineup that also included future NBA players such as RJ Barrett, Cam Reddish, and Zion’s fellow No. 1 overall pick in 2019, point guard Kyrie Irving.

Under head coach Mike Krzyzewski, commonly known as “Coach K,” Duke has produced more than 30 NBA players since Coach K took over the program in 1980. In addition to Zion and Kyrie, some of the other notable Duke basketball alumni to play in the NBA include Grant Hill, Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Jon Scheyer, and Shane Battier.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving played for Duke during the 2010-2011 season. He was a freshman during that season and helped lead Duke to the NCAA championship. Kyrie was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. He was the first freshman to ever receive that honor. Kyrie only played one season at Duke before declaring for the NBA draft.

High School

Kyrie Andrew Irving[1] (/ˈkaɪri/; born March 23, 1992) is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. A six-time NBA All-Star and two-time member of the All-NBA Team, he won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.

Irving played college basketball for one season with Duke University before being selected by Cleveland. As a freshman at Duke, he was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Year and was an instant star among college basketball fans. After leading Duke to 27 wins and a No. 2 ranking before suffering a season-ending injury in February, Irving entered his name in the 2011 NBA draft and was selected by Cleveland with the top overall pick.

College

Kyrie Irving attended Duke University for one season before being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft. He was a member of the Duke men’s basketball team that won the 2010–11 NCAA Division I men’s basketball championship.

NBA

Kyrie Irving played for Duke from 2010 to 2011. He was drafted first overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2011 NBA draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in 2012 and was selected to the All-Star Game and All-Rookie teams in 2013. Irving won an NBA championship with the Cavaliers in 2016.

Jabari Parker

Jabari Parker is a professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the NBA. He played college basketball for Duke University.

High School

Parker attended Simeon Career Academy in Chicago, where he was a teammate of fellow future NBA players Derrick Rose and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. As a sophomore, he was named the National Sophomore of the Year by MaxPreps. Parker went on to repeat as the National Sophomore of the Year. In his junior year, Parker led Simeon to the Public League championship and a No. 1 ranking in the ESPN 25 Power Rankings. He was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year and a Naismith Prep Player of the Year finalist that season. As a senior, he averaged 19.3 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while leading Simeon to another Public League title and finishing No. 2 in the nation behind Montverde Academy (Florida). Parker was named the Morgan Wootten Player of the Year, ESPN’s Chicago Public League Player of the Year, Illinois Mr. Basketball, Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year, Associated Press Illinois Player of the Year, and Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year that season

College

After one year of college, Parker joined the NBA draft and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the second overall pick. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

NBA

Jabari Parker is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected second overall in the 2014 NBA draft by the Bucks. Parker played one season of college basketball for Duke University before entering the NBA. He is known for his all-around game and has been compared to players such as Carmelo Anthony and Grant Hill.

Parker was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Simeon Academy, where he was widely regarded as one of the best high school basketball players in the country. He was a two-time Parade All-American and earned consensus first-team All-American honors as a senior in 2013. Parker was also named Mr. Basketball USA that year.

Parker played one season of college basketball for Duke University before declaring for the NBA draft in 2014. He earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors and was named a consensus first-team All-American. In his lone season at Duke, Parker averaged 19.1 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.

Parker was selected with the second overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2014 NBA draft. He made his debut for the Bucks on October 29, 2014, scoring 12 points in a win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Parker went on to have a successful rookie season, averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds per game while being named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

In his second season with the Bucks, Parker continued to improve, averaging 14.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while being named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve.”

Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor was the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft by the Philadelphia ers. He played one season of college basketball for Duke University. He was named the USBWA National Freshman of the Year and the Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year. He was a consensus first-team All-American.

High School

Okafor attended Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, where he played for coach Tyrone Slaughter’s Dolphins. As a freshman, he was one of the top players on the JV team. Heading into his sophomore year, Okafor grew eight inches in eight months and was expected to be one of the top players in the country.

College

Okafor attended Duke University for one year of college basketball, playing for the Duke Blue Devils. He was a consensus first-team All-American, and the USBWA National Freshman of the Year. As a freshman, he helped lead Duke to a national championship in 2015. After one year at Duke, he declared himself eligible for the 2015 NBA draft, and was selected with the third overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.

NBA

Jahlil Okafor was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the third overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets during the 2017-18 season.

Okafor played one season of college basketball for Duke University before being drafted, during which he was named USBWA National Freshman of the Year and consensus first-team All-American.

Justise Winslow

Justise Winslow was born on March 26, 1996 in Houston, Texas. He is the son of Rick and Robin Winslow, and has two brothers, Josh and Justice. He played his high school basketball at St. John’s School in Houston, and then went on to play college basketball at Duke University. He was drafted by the Miami Heat with the 10th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

High School

Justise Winslow attended St. John’s School in Houston, Texas where he was a teammate of fellow 2014 McDonald’s All-American Jahlil Okafor. He was widely considered one of the top high school prospects of his class. As a senior in 2013–14, he averaged 19.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game, leading St. John’s to a 30–5 record and the state championship game. He was subsequently named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, USA Today High School Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American.

College

Justise Winslow was born in Houston, Texas on March 26, 1996. He is the son of Rickie Winslow and Joelle Robinson. He has two older sisters, Baylor and Ashley. His father played college basketball at the University of Houston from 1980 to 1984. Justise’s parents divorced when he was young and his father died of cancer in 1997. His mother then got remarried to John Lucas II, a former professional basketball player who played for six NBA teams from 1976 to 1985, and later became a coach and scout. Growing up, Justise lived with his mother and stepfather in The Woodlands, Texas, a suburb of Houston. He played AAU basketball for the Houston Hoops program.

In high school, he attended St. John’s School in Houston and advanced to play varsity his sophomore year. As a junior in 2012–13, he averaged 19.6 points per game while leading St. John’s to a 29–7 record and the state semifinals of the SPC tournament where they lost to eventual champion Dallas Episcopal School. He was subsequently named co-MVP of the Southwest Preparatory Conference (SPC), along with then current Marquette University freshman JaJuan Johnson

NBA

Justise Winslow was drafted 10th overall in the 2015 NBA draft by the Miami Heat. He played small forward for Duke University during his freshman year before declaring for the draft. In his one year at Duke, he won an NCAA championship. He was also named to the All-ACC Defensive Team and the All-ACC Freshman Team. In the NBA, he has established himself as a key player for the Heat, helping them to reach the playoffs in his rookie season. He has also represented the United States at various international competitions, winning a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA U17 World Championship and a bronze medal at the 2015 FIBA U19 World Championship.