Nba Draft: Top Picks From Duke University Who Became Superstars

Duke basketball has been a staple college basketball program in the nation. It has produced several NBA players over the years. Here’s a list of Blue Devils who became NBA stars.

Image source: pinimg.com

Shane Battier

As a member of the 2012 NBA Champions Miami Heat, Shane Battier joined an extremely exclusive club: he is the ONLY Mike Krzyzewski-coached player in history to win both an NCAA and NBA championship.

Christian Laettner

Laettner is one of the greatest college basketball players in history. He was ranked 12th all-time by ESPN.

Leattner was also a member of the original Dream Team, which won a gold medal in the ’92 Olympics, and was the 3rd overall pick in the ’92 draft. He was an All-star in 1997, when he played for the Atlanta Hawks.

Luol Deng

Luol Deng played only one season for the Blue Devils and helped the team reach the Final Four.

He was selected 7th overall by the Phoenix Suns in 2004. Deng averaged 11.7 and 5.3 rebounds as a rookie and was named to the All-Rookie First Team.

Carlos Boozer

Boozer is a second-round pick, drafted 34th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2002 NBA Draft. He ultimately proved to be a worthy pick as he emerged as one of the most notable draft steals in league history.

He made the All-star teams in 2007 and 2008, an All-NBA Third Team (2008), and helped the Unites States win a gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Image source: fssta.com

Grant Hill

Hill brought 3 championships to Duke in 1991, 1992 and 1994. He was drafted 3rd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the ’94 draft and was immediately considered to be the “Next Michael Jordan.” He shared the Rookie of the Year award with Jason Kidd.

Hi there! Patrick Balahan here. I am currently studying to become a corporate lawyer and I also follow college basketball. Visit my blog to get more updates.

Why Blue Devil? – The Story Behind The Duke Team Name

It is interesting to note how collegiate teams can come up with monikers for their athletics programs. Usually the chosen moniker is an index of something personal to the team, or perhaps the school tradition. But there are a few team names which catch a lot of attention, because they seem especially out of the ordinary. One such name is worn proudly by the Duke Blue Devils.

Image source: sports-logos-screensavers.com

The initial reaction typically would run along the lines of how uncharacteristic it seems for an educational institution to attach itself to such a name. This is especially misleading with the logo which features the image of a devil with a mischievous grin.

The truth is that this is historically rooted. Not too many people are aware that the name was inspired by a group of French soldiers who belonged to an elite squad that specialized in challenging mountainous terrains and urban warfare. These soldiers patrolled the Alpine border donning their signature blue uniform which included a beret and cape. They were locally known as “les Diables Bleus” or Blue Devils.

This group is distinguished for many values like courage, honor, discipline, and strength. All of these are what the Duke University stands for. In 1921, the Blue Devils moniker was voted for by students in a campaign launched by the school newspaper, and this was met with absolutely no opposition from the school administration.

The addition of the figure with the devilish grin on the logo is just an added twist from a creative mind. But the Blue Devils tradition is truly not to be taken lightly, as this is a symbol for excellence. It’s not surprising that they are true champions.

Image source: bleacherreport.net

Hi. My name is Patrick Balahan and I am currently studying to become a corporate lawyer. Outside of my studies, I’m a devoted fan of Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team. For more updates, visit this blog.