5 Best Duke Basketball Alumni in the NBA in 2024

As always, Duke is one of the most heavily represented schools in the NBA at the moment, currently with 23 active alumni. Only Kentucky has more players on active NBA rosters right now than Duke.

The list of Duke products includes No. 1 overall picks, All-Stars, All-NBA players, and NBA champions.

But which Blue Devils stand out the most with their NBA performance? Here are the five best Duke alumni in the league.

5- Brandon Ingram

Despite only playing one year at Duke, Ingram had one of the best ever freshman seasons as a Blue Devil, finishing with 17.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game and winning ACC Rookie of the Year honors. His performance has him in the top three among Duke’s all-time freshman leaders in scoring and three-pointers made.

He then continued this production throughout his NBA career after being drafted second overall in the 2016 NBA Draft.

After three seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, Ingram was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the Anthony Davis trade. This is where he thrived to become one of the best scoring forwards in the league, winning the Most Improved Player Award in 2020.

A deadly mid-range shooter, Ingram has averaged at least 20 points per game for the past five seasons, earning one All-Star nod. At age 26, Ingram could have another gear as he continues improving his playmaking, three-point shooting, and defense. The Pelicans are currently in the chase for a playoff seed in the Western Conference, which would be the second postseason appearance for Ingram.