Between Crowns
The longest title drought of the K era. The players who kept Duke in the conversation.
JJ Redick
The most hated player in America. Now he coaches the Lakers.
Shelden Williams
The Landlord.
DeMarcus Nelson
California’s all-time leading scorer (3,462 points). Pastor’s son from Oakland. Grew up an Arizona fan who didn’t like Duke until they showed him a Jay Williams video. Stayed all four years. ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Sole captain. Undrafted — then became the first undrafted rookie to start on NBA opening night in history. EuroLeague MVP. French Finals MVP. Vallejo retired his jersey — the first in 150 years.
Josh McRoberts
Flair, flash, and an early exit.
Greg Paulus
Born in Ohio, raised in Wisconsin, made in Syracuse. The nation’s best QB AND best PG simultaneously. Beat Ray Rice in a state football championship. Gatorade National Athlete of the Year. Chose Duke basketball. Won four ACC titles. Then went back to Syracuse and started at quarterback without playing football in four years. Head coach at Niagara. Two Halls of Fame. There will never be another.
Gerald Henderson
The spark that reignited the engine.
Jon Scheyer
The Jewish Jordan from Northbrook. Scored 21 points in 75 seconds. Disliked Duke as a kid because all his friends liked Duke. Chose Duke anyway. Played every game for four years. 2010 National Champion. Recruited Zion, Tatum, Barrett, Banchero, and Cooper Flagg. Named the 20th head coach in Duke history. 2025 Final Four. National Coach of the Year. The kid who said “We’ll just do it here” is doing it here. And the Brotherhood continues.
Nolan Smith
His father won the 1980 championship with Louisville, outscored Michael Jordan, played nine NBA years, and died on a cruise ship near Bermuda when Nolan was eight. Uncle Johnny Dawkins raised him in basketball. Michael Beasley moved in as a brother. He looked at the ceiling in every arena for his father. Won the 2010 title in Indianapolis — same city as his father in 1980. ACC Player of the Year. Tattoo: Forever Watching. Now head coach at Tennessee State.
Kyrie Irving
Born in Melbourne. Lost his mother at four. Eleven games at Duke. The Shot over Curry. Little Mountain is still climbing.
Lee Melchionni
Sean Dockery
Ross Perkins
Tom Novick
David McClure
Six surgeries. Still climbing.
Martynas Pocius
Jamal Boykin
Eric Boateng
Brian Zoubek
The 7-foot-1 son of Princeton and Wellesley athletes who broke his foot twice, opened a cream puff bakery, grabbed the rebound that won a national championship, and now builds apartment buildings across Philadelphia.
Lance Thomas
A Brooklyn kid raised by a single mom who played for Danny Hurley, won a national championship as co-captain, went undrafted, clawed his way to nine NBA seasons and $24 million, captained the Knicks — and then traded the hardwood for the open water as a licensed sea captain and competitive deep-sea fisherman.