The NBA playoffs kicked off this past weekend with 10 Blue Devils participating in the postseason. Here is a quick regular-season recap of the 13 Duke players who played in the NBA this past season…
Shane Battier, the 2001 National Player of the Year and national champ, was dealt to Memphis at the NBA trade deadline this season. Since returning to the team that drafted him out of Duke, Shane averaged 5.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 1.4 APG in 23 games while playing his usual lockdown defense.
Carlos Boozer was a major reason why the Chicago Bulls entered the playoffs with the best record in the NBA (62-20) and the top seed in the East. The 2002 Duke All-American averaged 17.5 PPG and 9.6 RPG during the regular season. He teams with Derrick Rose (USA Basketball player with Coach K this past summer) and Luol Deng (former Duke player) to lead the Bulls charge in the Windy City.
Elton Brand, 1999 National Player of the Year and the first pick of the ’99 draft, teamed with head coach Doug Collins (father of Duke coach Chris Collins) and the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers to orchestrate one of the NBA’s biggest turn-around seasons this year. EB averaged 15.0 PPG and 8.3 RPG as the 76ers won 14 more games this season and finished with a 41-41 regular-season record.
Luol Deng, a lottery pick in 2004 after an All-ACC campaign at Duke, averaged 17.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 2.8 SPG for the Bulls while also providing his typical versatile defensive skills. With Deng, Boozer and Rose, the Bulls are not only positioned to make a run at the NBA title this year but also should be contenders for years to come.
Chris Duhon, a 2004 All-American at Duke, served as a reserve guard for Orlando in his first season with the Magic. The 2001 national champion averaged 2.5 PPG and 2.3 APG in about 15 minutes per game this year as the Magic finished with a 52-30 record and the fourth seed in the East.
Mike Dunleavy is part of a trio of Blue Devils on the Indiana Pacers (along with Josh McRoberts and Dahntay Jones) this year who combined to average 24.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG and 4.5 APG. The 2002 Duke All-American averaged 11.2 PPG and 4.5 RPG during the regular season as Indiana made the playoffs with the 8th seed in the East.
Gerald Henderson wrapped up a terrific season in Charlotte as one of the NBA’s most improved players. After serving as a reserve guard in his rookie campaign, G broke out in a big way this year, averaging 9.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 1.5 APG. When G moved into the starting lineup, he averaged 13.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.2 APG including his career-high 32-point outing on April 6th against Orlando.
Grant Hill continues to impress at the age of 38. After years of injury setbacks, the two-time national champ has played all but three games over the past three seasons, averaging around 30 minutes per game. This season, he scored 13 PPG while playing some of the best perimeter defense in the NBA. Phoenix finished 40-42 and Hill won the team’s Majerle Hustle Award.
Dahntay Jones, a 2003 All-ACC selection, averaged 6.3 PPG in 45 games as a reserve guard for the Pacers. He gives Indiana a lift off the bench with his athleticism and solid defense.
Corey Maggette, a lottery pick in 1999, averaged 12.0 PPG and 3.6 RPG this year in his first season with Milwaukee. Maggette and the Bucks struggled this season, finishing 35-47.
Josh McRoberts, a 2007 second team All-ACC pick, averaged 7.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG with 51 starts this year in Indiana. The versatile big man continues to improve as he set career highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, minutes and starts this season and was a key reason why the Pacers were able to sneak into that last playoff spot in the East.
JJ Redick, a two-time National Player of the Year at Duke, averaged a career-high 10.1 PPG this year in the first season of a new contract with Orlando. Duke’s all-time leading scorer recently returned to the Magic lineup for playoffs after missing 17 games with an abdominal strain.
Shelden Williams, a two-time National Defensive Player of the Year at Duke and jersey retiree, averaged 3.9 PPG and 2.9 RPG in a reserve role for the NY Knicks. The Landlord was part of the blockbuster deadline deal that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks. New York is battling Boston in the first round of the playoffs.
Most Alums in the NBA Playoffs
Duke: 10
Kansas: 8
Florida: 8
UCLA: 7
Duke in the NBA Fact
11 of Duke’s 13 former players in the NBA this season were part of at least one Blue Devil Final Four squad. The 13 players combined to win six national titles.
Luol Deng, Carlos Boozer and the Bulls finished with the NBA's best record.