Does Duke have the most NBA players? Exploring top NCAAB teams with most players in pro league

One of the most successful NCAAB programs of all time, the Duke Blue Devils have managed to stay at the top of the mountain with multiple championships to their name throughout the years.

Besides the rings, Duke has also been home to some of the biggest basketball coaches of all time, including Mike Krzyzewski (1980–2022), Vic Bubas (1960–1969), and Gerry Gerard (1942–1955), among others.

However, looking past the rings and the names of the people who have led the program, another important part of the Blue Devils' legacy is the numerous stars that have come out of the program.

Does Duke have the most NBA players?

No, Duke does not have the most NBA players. However, with 94 players who have played in the league, the Blue Devils rank third all-time, trailing only the Kentucky Wildcats (127) and the UCLA Bruins (99).

Of the 94, Duke boasts 25 active players in the league, which ranks second behind Kentucky's 26.

Starting with Kyrie Irving, who was chosen in the 2011 NBA Draft, and ending with Dariq Whitehead, who was drafted by the Brooklyn Nets in 2023, various active former Duke players have continued to win, including multiple NBA titles.

Full list of former Duke players active in the NBA

Name	Year Drafted	Team
Kyrie Irving	2011	Dallas Mavericks
Seth Curry	2013	Dallas Mavericks
Tyus Jones	2015	LA Clippers
Brandon Ingram	2016	Washington Wizards
Luke Kennard	2017	Memphis Grizzlies
Harry Giles III	2017	Brooklyn Nets
Jayson Tatum	2017	Boston Celtics
Grayson Allen	2018	Phoenix Suns
Marvin Bagley III	2018	Detroit Pistons
Wendell Carter Jr.	2018	Orlando Magic
Gary Trent Jr.	2018	Toronto Raptors
RJ Barrett	2019	Toronto Raptors
Cam Reddish	2019	LA Lakers
Zion Williamson	2019	New Orleans Pelicans
Marques Bolden	2019	Milwaukee Bucks
Tre Jones	2020	San Antonio Spurs
Jack White	2020	Oklahoma City Thunder
Jalen Johnson	2021	Atlanta Hawks
Paolo Banchero	2022	Orlando Magic
Mark Williams	2022	Charlotte Hornets
AJ Griffin	2022	Atlanta Hawks
Wendell Moore Jr.	2022	Minnesota Timberwolves
Derreck Lively II	2023	Dallas Mavericks
Dariq Whitehead	2023	Brooklyn Nets

Who is the greatest Duke player of all time?

While they've sent the third-most players to the NBA, a lot of players rose to fame in their college days playing for the Blue Devils. Some of these names include:

J.J. Reddick

New Orleans Pelicans vs. Sacramento Kings

The program's all-time leading scorer, Reddick, left Duke with 2,769 points to his name, creating a record that has stood since 2006. A two-time national player of the year, Reddick also holds the records for most 3-pointers scored, most free throws made, and most 30-point games in the program's history.

Johnny Dawkins

Dawkins was named national player of the year in 1985 and also made the 50th-anniversary All-ACC team. Dawkins is second in school history with 2,556 points and leads the program in total field goals made.

Grant Hill

A part of the squad that won back-to-back national championships in 1991 and 1992, Grant Hill remains the only player in ACC history to put up 1,900 points, 700 rebounds, and 400 assists.

A consensus All-American and the ACC player of the year, one of Hill's career highlights includes that long inbound pass to Christian Laettner.