DURHAM, N.C. – The NBA regular season kicks off on Tuesday, October 20, featuring 26 alumni from Duke University's men's basketball program on opening-day rosters. This total ties Duke for the highest representation of any collegiate program in the league as noted from the NBA's official rosters.
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Eighteen NBA teams have at least one former Blue Devil, with Charlotte, Dallas, and Phoenix each showcasing three alumni. The Charlotte Hornets include Grayson Allen, Sion James, and Kon Knueppel; the Dallas Mavericks feature Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and Dereck Lively II; and the Phoenix Suns have Luke Kennard, Khaman Maluach, and Mark Williams. The Orlando Magic and Denver Nuggets also boast multiple Duke players, with Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. on Orlando's roster and Marvin Bagley III alongside Tyus Jones in Denver.
Notable Duke alumni include Jalen Johnson with the Atlanta Hawks and Jayson Tatum, who is looking to achieve his seventh consecutive All-Star selection with the Boston Celtics. Tre Jones is currently with the Chicago Bulls, while Tyrese Proctor starts his second year with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rookies Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans will be playing for Memphis and Minnesota, respectively, and Maliq Brown is on San Antonio's active roster as a two-way player.
Gary Trent Jr. plays for Milwaukee, and Zion Williamson is part of the New Orleans roster. Jared McCain will start his first full season with the Oklahoma City Thunder after joining last season. RJ Barrett and Kyle Filipowski are active with Toronto and Utah, respectively, while Brandon Ingram is recovering from injuries with the LA Clippers.
In addition to the players, Duke has numerous former athletes, coaches, and graduates involved in various NBA roles, including Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski as a special advisor, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, and others in key front-office and coaching positions across the league.