Road to Duke
Alaa Abdelnaby was born on June 24, 1968, in Alexandria, Egypt — the ancient Mediterranean port three thousand miles and an entire civilization away from the ACC. His father was an engineer. His mother was a computer analyst. They were educated, ambitious, Muslim, and in 1971 they brought their two-year-old son to America in search of better careers. The family settled in northern New Jersey — first Nutley, then Bloomfield — and became American citizens. He is almost certainly the only native of Alexandria, Egypt, to ever play in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Growing up in the 1970s, Abdelnaby was the only kid in the neighborhood named Alaa. In a 2024 NBC Philadelphia interview during Arab American Heritage Month, he described the quiet burden of difference: ‘When I was young, I used to tell people my name was Al, cause I just wanted to fit in. And Alaa in ’73 and ’74 was just a little too different for the youngsters.’ Basketball became his vehicle for belonging.
His parents saw him as a doctor. They didn’t come to his games. ‘They had two other kids to raise. I don’t think they even wanted to encourage me. If I came then I’m approving of this. So you go to do your thing. And at times, I wanted them there ’cause other parents were there.’ But as he grew to 6-foot-10, his parents slowly relented.
Moving from Nutley to Bloomfield was hard. ‘It was tough. Having to leave all your childhood friends and move to a new school was intimidating. I always felt like an outsider until basketball season started my junior year.’ Once basketball season started, everybody knew who he was. In the 1986 Essex County Tournament, he jumped from the foul line and threw down a thunderous dunk against Montclair — a moment Bloomfield fans still talk about decades later. Over 1,000 points in two varsity seasons. McDonald’s All-American. Parade All-American. His coach, Paul Palek, thought the sky was the limit.
At Duke
Abdelnaby arrived at Duke in 1986, and he was, by all accounts, a mess. Obviously talented — 6-10, soft hands, beautiful touch — but strikingly immature. Duke Basketball Report put it bluntly: ‘He was clearly immature and took a while to grow up.’ He partied heavily. He drove his car into a tree on campus. He joked about academics with a line that became Duke basketball legend: ‘The only way I can make five A’s is when I sign my name.’
Freshman through junior year: role player, single-digit scoring, more turnovers per game than assists, steals, and blocks combined. Duke made the Final Four in 1988 and 1989 with Abdelnaby as a supporting player, described as ‘a gifted but unpredictable 6-10 forward’ on Danny Ferry’s team.
Then senior year, 1989–90, everything changed. He has said that mentoring freshmen Christian Laettner and Bobby Hurley — teaching them how to deal with Coach K — transformed him into a better player and man. The numbers exploded: 15.1 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 62% FG, leading the ACC in true shooting percentage. Started 37 of 38 games. All-ACC Third Team.
The crowning moment: the 1990 East Regional Final at the Meadowlands — his New Jersey backyard — against top-seeded UConn. He called it the best day of his basketball life: ‘I played my best game in front of 86 of my friends and family! That’s a lot of ticket requests! We won, I played well, and I got to run into the stands and hug my parents.’ Game-high 27 points, 14 rebounds. Overtime. UConn’s Tate George airballed a three that fell into Abdelnaby’s hands. With 2.6 seconds left, Coach K called an audible — “Special” — and Laettner hit a buzzer-beater to send Duke to the Final Four.
Two weeks later: UNLV 103, Duke 73. The worst championship game loss in history. Abdelnaby had 14 points and 7 rebounds. But the freshmen he mentored — Laettner, Hurley, joined by Grant Hill — returned to beat UNLV in the 1991 rematch and win back-to-back championships. Abdelnaby’s class built the bridge. They were the last team to lose before the dynasty began.
After Duke
Draft night was his toughest day. Told to expect picks 12–16, he fell to 25th (Portland). ‘To go 25th was disappointing! I did get picked by a great team that won a lot, so everything worked out.’
Portland was loaded: Drexler, Porter, Buck Williams. Abdelnaby was a deep reserve on a 63-win squad. His best Portland year, 1991–92: 71 games, 6.1 PPG. The Blazers reached the NBA Finals, losing to Jordan’s Bulls. Traded to Milwaukee for Tracy Murray’s rights. Traded again to Boston for Jon Barry. With the Celtics in 1992–93: 63 games, 52 starts, 8.2 PPG — his largest NBA role. Back surgery limited him to 13 games the next season. Sacramento, two 10-day contracts in Philadelphia, a Golden State signing that never produced a game. Five NBA seasons, five teams, ~256 games, 5.7 PPG.
But he wasn’t done. Greece (Papagou), CBA (Omaha Racers), France (Olympique Antibes), CBA again (Idaho Stampede, 2000) — a decade after leaving Duke, still chasing the game across continents.
The second career began while the first was sputtering. In 1995, the NBA asked Abdelnaby to broadcast the All-Star Game in Phoenix for Orbit Satellite Television. He was the league’s only Arabic-speaking former player. He called the game in Arabic — bringing the NBA to millions across the Middle East and North Africa. He continued with Orbit, then ART (2005–15) and NBA TV (2006–09). The kid who’d shortened his name to “Al” to fit in was now broadcasting basketball in Arabic to the Arab world.
Where Is He Now
Since October 2015, Alaa Abdelnaby has been the color analyst for the Philadelphia 76ers on NBC Sports Philadelphia — first alongside Marc Zumoff, now with Kate Scott. Also a CBS Sports Network studio analyst and Westwood One Radio color commentator. His Twitter bio: ‘Egyptian born, Jersey raised. Duke alum. Got paid to play. Now, I get paid to watch!’
The 2024–25 season marked his tenth year with the Sixers. He is one of the very few Arab and Muslim voices in NBA broadcasting. ‘I think it’s been my underlying desire all my life to fit in. I’m fortunate basketball has been a vehicle that has attracted, for the most part, people to me positively.’
Married Celeste Barnette, a fellow Duke graduate, in 2015. Two siblings. His parents — the engineer and the computer analyst who wanted their son to be a doctor, who didn’t come to his high school games because attending would mean approving — now attend his games.
The boy from Alexandria who told kids his name was Al. Who felt like an outsider until basketball season started. Who jumped from the foul line and dunked on Montclair. Who went to Duke and drove his car into a tree and made the famous quip about the five A’s. Who grew up by teaching Laettner and Hurley how to be Blue Devils. Who scored 27 and 14 at the Meadowlands and hugged his parents in the stands. Who got crushed by UNLV 103–73. Who broadcast the All-Star Game in Arabic because no one else could. Who found his voice — literally — courtside in Philadelphia. He is 57. He is still fitting in. The difference is that now, the world has changed enough to call him by his real name.