By: Ben McCormick
May 29, 2024
The time range for this list only ranges five years. Five fairly unconventional years at that.
The 2019-20 season was cut short without an ACC or NCAA Tournament. The 2020-21 season was played without fans in Cameron Indoor Stadium; the players lived exclusively in a hotel, classes were on zoom, games were constantly canceled and everything was marred by COVID-19. Then, Mike Krzyzewski announced that the 2021-22 season would be his last as the head coach at Duke. The 2022-23 season was the first year of the Scheyer Era. Most recently we saw a mass exodus of transfers following the 2023-24 season.
A few years ago, it would have been outlandish to think that a player that transferred out of Duke could be classified as one of the top players of the decade. Thoughts like that are no longer outlandish, they are true. Multiple players on this list will be playing for a different school next season. That is the reality of college basketball today.
The 2020s may only have five seasons under its belt, but they have been five unusual and noteworthy seasons. Duke has captured a Final Four, an ACC regular season title and tournament title during this span.
The players on these teams have gone through two seasons prematurely ended by the pandemic, social justice movements (in which many have spoke out in support of) and pressure beyond compare during the final year of Coach K's career.
Now, I give you the top fifteen players so far this decade. It is determined solely based on their overall play at Duke. NBA performance or potential is not taken into consideration. For current players, only their past play is taken into account, not this upcoming season. For players that also played in the 2010s, they qualify in whichever decade they played the most time in. If it is an equal split, then whichever decade contained their most successful season will get the nod. For instance, Tre Jones could be included on this list, but Jack White could not be.
Other Honorable Mentions.) Caleb Foster, Jordan Goldwire, Dariq Whitehead and Ryan Young
Top HM.) Dereck Lively II
Year(s): 2023 | Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Defense
Perhaps the toughest decision of this entire list was leaving Lively as an honorable mention. His defense was a true game changer for Jon Scheyer's Blue Devils, and his plus-minus statistics have been eye opening both in college and in the NBA. It's difficult to forget about what he's done during his rookie year in Dallas, but I have to for the purposes of this exercise.
Ultimately, the slow start he got off to, coupled with his low scoring kept him just on the cusp of this list, but not quite good enough. For the record, I think he was a better player by the end of his freshman year at Duke than a handful of the guys who made it over him. But when you look at his entire body of work in Durham (and it's a small sample size), I just couldn't bring myself to place him in the top 15.
Lively came into Duke as the top prospect in high school basketball, but his start in Durham was from from perfect. The 7-foot-1 shot blocker struggled mightily on offense. His post game appeared under-developed for a player of his rating, and his three point shot was considered solid, but ultimately was underused at Duke. So, most of his offensive output happened above the rim on lobs and putback dunks.
Despite his offensive struggle, Lively made a big impact on Scheyer's first squad. He made a name for himself in college basketball after swatting eight shots at home in a win over North Carolina. From that point on, Lively was Duke's anchor on defense and a crucial part of their late season success.
His length as a defender and potential as a shooter and rim runner helped earn him a slot in the NBA Draft lottery as the Dallas Mavericks selected Lively No. 12 overall in 2023. He has since been named to second team All-Rookie in the NBA, and is a started on a likely NBA Finals bound Mavericks squad.
Career Stats: 5.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 2.4 BPG, 0.5 SPG, 65.8% FG, 15.4% 3PT, 60% FT, 34 GP, 27 GS
15.) DJ Steward
Year(s): 2021 | Accomplishments: ACC All-Freshman
Steward's lone season in Durham came during perhaps the most odd of circumstances. He spent his time at Duke living in a hotel, the Washington Duke, instead of a dorm. Classes were on zoom and a constant cancellation of games caused for a difficult and rather unsuccessful season that ended in heartbreak as their season was cutoff prematurely by positive tests for COVID-19 in the ACC Tournament. He never got the proper college experience.
Despite all that adversity, Steward showed signs of real promise.
Many times, Steward had high flying dunks and ankle breaking crossovers. His debut versus Coppin State was one of the best freshman debuts in school history to date as he posted 24 points. Many believed Steward should have returned to Durham for a sophomore campaign, but the young Blue Devil made the jump to the pros after just one season. And in that season he was second on the team in scoring and was named to the ACC All-Freshman team (runner up for ACC ROY).
Career Stats: 13 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.6 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 42.6% FG, 34.1% 3PT, 84.1% FT, 24 GP, 22 GS
14.) Trevor Keels
Year(s): 2022 | Accomplishments: Final Four, ACC Regular Season Champion, ACC All-Freshman
Keels burst on to the scene in Madison Square Garden as he dropped 25 points against a top ten ranked Kentucky team in the first game of Mike Krzyzewski's final season. Having two of his best games at Duke in his first game versus Kentucky, and then in his last versus North Carolina in the Final Four, Keels made a good first impression and left with a great effort. His career high came in another big moment at Pitt as Keels scores 27 points to help Duke clinch their first ACC Regular Season title in over a decade.
Despite his success in big games, Keels did struggle at points during the season. His efficiency as a shooter fell off, and his starting role was lost. Still, Keels maintained a vital part of a Final Four team. That role earned him a spot on the ACC's All-Freshman team as well.
Much like Steward, many believed that Keels left for the NBA prematurely. He was selected with the No. 42 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Knicks.
Career Stats: 11.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.1 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 41.9% FG, 31.2% 3PT, 67% FT, 36 GP, 26 GS
13.) AJ Griffin
Year(s): 2022 | Accomplishments: Final Four, ACC Regular Season Champion, ACC All-Freshman
Griffin came to Duke a heralded NBA prospect, but his journey in Durham did not come without its challenges. In high school, Griffin missed years of play due to injury, and even dealt with a minor injury to begin the year at Duke. It was because of that history with injuries that Griffin was not an immediate starter.
After a breakout game vs. South Carolina State in which he posted 19 points, Griffin took off, shooting scorching hot from three. He had perhaps his best game at North Carolina, scoring 27 points on 11 of 17 shooting. In Duke's Elite 8 victory over Arkansas, Griffin scored 18 points as he lit it up from three.
Griffin's shooting ability is truly special and his game really took form during his single season at Duke. He was named first team All-Freshman in the ACC before being selected 16th overall by the Atlanta Hawks in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Career Stats: 10.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.6 BPG, 0.5 SPG, 49.3% FG, 44.7% 3PT, 79.2% FT, 39 GP, 25 GS
12.) Cassius Stanley
Year(s): 2020 | Accomplishments: ACC All-Freshman
In a promising season tragically cut short by the pandemic, Stanley was routinely flying under the radar despite flying high above the rim.
The high school dunking sensation was more than just high flying antics though. Even after shocking the world of basketball by breaking Zion Williamson's vertical jump record at Duke, he went on to post an impressive 12.6 points per game with solid shooting and slashing. Criticized for an inconsistent jump shot in high school, Stanley proved he could be a marksman from beyond-the-arc.
Many of the top performers from the 2019-20 season do not get proper recognition because there was no postseason. That Duke team was riding the coattails of emerging difference maker Justin Robinson in what seemed to be a promising postseason. The Blue Devils appeared to be on line for a two or three seed in the NCAA Tournament. All that said, I most assuredly did not want to hold lack of banners against any Blue Devil on that team, especially a one-and-done like Stanley whose solid play earned him a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team.
Career Stats: 12.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.7 BPG, 0.7 SPG, 47.4% FG, 36% 3PT, 73.3% FT, 29 GP, 29 GS
11.) Mark Mitchell
Year(s): 2023-2024| Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion
Mitchell at eleven might not be a popular pick. I mentioned at the top of the article that there would be multiple players who have transferred out this offseason appearing on the list. Well, here's the first of those transfers. And of the seven outgoing Duke transfers, Mitchell likely receives the most criticism from Duke faithful.
Yes, his play fell off at the end of the 2023-24 season. Yes, he was not a high level defender as a sophomore like he was as a freshman. However, Mitchell's ultimate fault was not fitting the team's play style. That doesn't mean he wasn't good.
Mitchell is a slasher, a scorer and a worker. He has a high motor and the ability to fill it up on offense. But he often disappears and takes a back seat. That is something the 6-foot-9 forward hoped to change in his sophomore season, and at times, he did. He had a stretch of 20+ point scoring efforts, highlighted by a great game against Syracuse.
His length and motor allowed Mitchell to be a high level defender as a freshman. That didn't hold up as well during his sophomore season though.
During his two seasons in Durham, perhaps no player was looked past as often as Mitchell. Despite solid play on both ends as a freshman, Mitchell was snubbed from the ACC All-Freshman and All-Defense teams. As a sophomore, he was the team's fourth leading scorer, but he rarely received the respect that comes with the territory.
No, his time at Duke wasn't perfect, but Mitchel may be one of the top three players to ever transfer out of Duke. Had he played one more season, he almost certainly would have crossed 1,000 career points. All the players ranked below him were one-and-dones. Being a two-year starter and double-digit scorer helped elevate him above them.
Career Stats: 10.3 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.6 BPG, 0.7 SPG, 50.5% FG, 31.9% 3PT, 67.5% FT, 68 GP, 67 GS
10.) Tyrese Proctor
Year(s): 2023-Present | Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion, ACC All-Freshman
As a sophomore the age of a freshman, Proctor was already a returning starting point guard and a team captain. To start the 2023-24 season, NBA scouts were impressed to say the least. His ability to score at all three levels, defend and distribute made pro teams think he could be a star backcourt player, akin to players like Tyrese Haliburton. Preseason, Proctor was tabbed as an All-American, with some thinking he may be the team's best player.
None of that came true. In fact, he fell off draft boards entirely and finished tied for fourth in Duke Wisdom's 2023-24 final team player rankings. Don't get it twisted though, just because he didn't meet the lofty, and I believe, unreasonable expectations, Proctor was still a very good player.
The 2023-24 squad was poorly constructed positionally, and Proctor struggled to find his footing offensively as a result. Five of the ten primary rotation players were point guard sized guards. All of them had to get their shots up, and so Proctor, who is a pass-first guard, took a backseat. That likely won't be the case next year when it's just he and Caleb Foster in the backcourt.
Regardless the reason for his underwhelming season, I want to clear something up: Proctor did not regress as a sophomore. Actually, he got much better. He just wasn't aggressive on the offensive side of the floor. Once he starts to put his entire offensive game together (i.e., the slashing, three-point shooting and mid-range footwork), he'll be a force to be reckoned with.
After reclassifying in the spring of 2022, Proctor was the last edition to Scheyer's core for the 2022-23. And Proctor's youth showed early. But as the season progressed, the 6-foot-5 Australian floor general grew into one of Duke's most important players, and the conductor of much of its half court offense.
As a freshman, Proctor struggled a bit shooting the ball, although he vastly improved as his career progressed. His defensive intensity was refreshing, but his ability to run the offense was his greatest asset. He proved in the 2024 NCAA Tournament he could be a high level scorer against James Madison, and then he proved he could be a high level defender against Houston.
Career Stats: 9.9 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 3.5 APG, 0.1 BPG, 0.6 SPG, 40.1% FG, 33.7% 3PT, 82.4% FT, 68 GP, 59 GS
9.) Jared McCain
Year(s): 2024 | Accomplishments: ACC All-Freshman, NCAA Tournament All-Region
McCain got off to a slow start in 2023-24, but the freshman guard put in the work. He got up at 6 a.m. to workout every day. He also got up shots after every game, win or lose. The 6-foot-3 TikTok sensation quickly became a fan favorite due to his dancing, his energy and his basketball ability.
Perhaps one of the best pure shooters in Duke basketball history, McCain couldn't exactly burst onto the scene given his internet fame, but the freshman from Sacramento, California, put the world of basketball on notice when he tied Zion Williamson's freshman scoring record at Duke with a 35-point performance at Florida State.
Many believe McCain was snubbed for ACC Freshman of the Year, but regardless, he captured the nation's attention with his sensational play during Duke's Elite 8 run. He had two 30+ point scoring games in the tournament; 30 versus James Madison in the Round of 32, and 32 against NC State in Duke's Elite 8 loss.
Following the loss, McCain got emotional. It's clear that Duke meant a lot to him, and during his time in Durham he meant a lot to so many Duke fans as well. Now he looks to be a first round pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Career Stats: 14.3 PPG, 5 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.1 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 46.2% FG, 41.4% 3PT, 88.5% FT, 36 GP, 36 GS
8.) Mark Williams
Year(s): 2021-2022 | Accomplishments: Final Four, ACC Regular Season Champion, ACC All-Tournament, ACC All-Defense, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, 3rd Team All-ACC, NCAA Tournament All-Region
Williams altered every single shot in the paint. He was the core of Duke's defense during their Final Four run in 2021-22, and it earned him ACC Defensive Player of the Year (Duke's fourth winner since the award's conception in 2005). Williams emerged as a rising star at the end of his freshman season as he ended the year with 23 points and 19 rebounds against Louisville in the ACC Tournament.
He even dominated against future second overall pick Chet Holmgren versus Gonzaga early in his sophomore season. He was not frequently a volume scorer due to lower minutes than the other starters and a lack of shot attempts. When he was involved in the offense consistently, he could put points on the board in a hurry. An All-ACC player in 2022, Williams' shot blocking was so good he ended his two year career sixth all-time in blocks at Duke, and was on track to place second or even first if he played all four years.
His play style has proven to be the prototype for a successful rim-running defender that Duke is building its interior around most seasons (e.g., Dereck Lively II and Khaman Maluach).
Career Stats: 9.7 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 2.3 BPG, 0.5 SPG, 70.4% FG, 66.1% FT, 62 GP, 54 GS
7.) Matthew Hurt
Year(s): 2020-2021 | Accomplishments: 1st Team All-ACC, ACC Most Improved Player
Given Hurt's sensational shooting ability, it is a shame that he never got to play in an NCAA Tournament during his two years at Duke. Despite having two seasons tragically end unnaturally, Hurt showed tremendous improvement from his freshman to sophomore year, growing from a role player to the best on the team. This improvement led to him winning ACC Most Improved Player, the first and only Blue Devil to win the award thus far. His 18.3 points per game in 2020-21 is the highest of any player in the 2020s so far at Duke, and it also led the entire ACC in scoring that season.
His ability to shoot contested shots from three and mid-range at a high clip on a high number of attempts made him one of the most prolific stretch four shooters in Duke basketball history. His 37 point game versus Louisville is the most of any player in a single game since JJ Redick in 2006. Hurt was in the ACC POY race the entire season but ultimately fell short, still receiving a 1st Team All-ACC nod before declaring early for the NBA Draft after two years.
The team's struggles in 2020-21 coupled with his own defensive struggles played roles in Hurt not finding a higher place on this list.
Career Stats: 13.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.7 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 52.6% FG, 42.1% 3PT, 73.1% FT, 55 GP, 45 GS
6.) Jeremy Roach
Year(s): 2021-2024| Accomplishments: Final Four, ACC Regular Season Champion, ACC Tournament Champion, ACC All-Tournament, NCAA Tournament All-Region, 3rd team All-ACC, 1,469 career points (32nd all-time)
Roach is the only player on this list to reach and finish his senior season. He is also the only rotation player remaining from the 2020-21 tainted COVID season or the Coach K era. College basketball has changed dramatically since Roach came to Durham for the first time. Duke has changed as well, and so too will Roach's scenery as he heads to Baylor next year.
It feels unreal to say that he will be playing elsewhere next season. It's not often that a McDonald's All-American stays at Duke for four years (four successful years, at that), but Roach did. He broke a seven year drought of 1,000 point scorers and he was a team captain on each of Scheyer's first two teams. Roach was the bridge between eras at Duke, but now he's on to other things.
His time at Duke was extremely notable though.
From a freshman trying to find his footing during an unsure season, to a role playing starter in the Final Four, to the team captain and leader of Scheyer's first two squads. Roach is the perfect test subject for how odd college basketball has been in the 2020s. Not to mention his battle with a toe injury in 2022-23, Roach truly went through the gauntlet.
He was never the best player on the team, but he was always a difference maker. All in all, he gained a leg up on Hurt and Williams by completing his four years.
Career Stats: 11.3 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 0.1 BPG, 0.9 SPG, 43.9% FG, 35.6% 3PT, 78.7% FT, 130 GP, 108 GS
5.) Wendell Moore Jr.
Year(s): 2020-2022 | Accomplishments: Final Four, ACC Regular Season Champion, ACC All-Tournament, ACC All-Defense, 2nd Team All-ACC, National Small Forward of the Year
This decade, you would be hard pressed to find a Blue Devil who improved as much as Moore did during his time in Durham. As a freshman, Moore was an on-again off-again starter who was inconsistent but still had a handful of solid scoring nights, such as 25 points versus Wake Forest. He also had one of the most iconic game winners in program history with his tap back in overtime to win at UNC in 2020.
By his sophomore year, Moore had drastically improved as a three point shooter, but he took another massive leap as a shooter, passer, floor general, and leader in his junior year as the team captain who led the young Blue Devils to the Final Four.
Moore became just the fifth Duke player ever to post a triple-double as he as he put up 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against Army. He became the third Blue Devil ever to win a positional award as he won National Small Forward of the Year, joining RJ Barrett and Zion Williamson who won National Shooting Guard and Power Forward of the Year, respectively, in 2019.
Moore embodied what it meant to stick with it and trust the process. He was a first round selection by the Timberwolves in 2022.
Career Stats: 10.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.2 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 45.9% FG, 35.8% 3PT, 81.4% FT, 88 GP, 68 GS
4.) Vernon Carey Jr.
Year(s): 2020 | Accomplishments: ACC All-Freshman, ACC Rookie of the Year, 1st Team All-ACC, 2nd Team All-American, National Rookie of the Year
Carey Jr. may have one of the most dominantly underrated seasons in Duke basketball history. The young center was efficient and strong on the low block. He typically finished above-the-rim with thunderous dunks, and although he did not often, he could shoot the ball from outside.
Carey was the National Freshman of the Year and a consensus All-American. He likely would have won ACC Player of the Year if Duke had chose to nominate him instead of Tre Jones for the award (or if both had been nominated).
His dominance is overlooked due to the unconventional closing to the 2019-2020 season, but Carey's performance at Duke deserves proper recognition. He went on to be selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets.
Career Stats: 17.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.0 APG, 1.6 BPG, 0.7 SPG, 57.7% FG, 38.1% 3PT, 67% FT, 31 GP, 30 GS
3.) Kyle Filipowski
Year(s): 2023-2024 | Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion, ACC All-Tournament, ACC Tournament MVP, ACC All-Freshman, ACC Rookie of the Year, 2nd Team All-ACC, 1st Team All-ACC, 2nd Team All-American, 1,134 career points (55th all-time)
Few players can be classified as Duke's best player in a given season and still have tons of room for improvement. But that's how I'd describe both of Filipowski's seasons at Duke. The 7-foot big was dominant for large stretches, still, he made many mistakes. He sometimes struggled to finish around the basket because he wouldn't go up strong. He turned the ball over a lot as well. Despite having great form as a three-point shooter, he wasn't as consistent of a shooter as he would have liked.
And yet, here he is in the top three.
Perhaps no player I've ever seen at Duke has received more in-house hate than Filipowski. From accusations saying "he's soft", "he whines", "he's not a dawg", Flip has weathered more than his fair share of criticism. But ultimately, we are talking about the first Duke player to be the team's best player in back-to-back seasons since JJ Redick in 2005-2006. We are talking about the first Duke player to lead the team in scoring as a freshman, and then return since Johnny Dawkins from 1983 to 1984. Plus, he's also one of just two Duke players to play fewer than three seasons and end up in the 1,000 point club (the other is Luke Kennard).
Fans were too hard on Filipowski. Yes, he had some growing pains, but what underclassman doesn't? He was the ACC Rookie of the Year, and was a player of the year candidate for much of his two years as well. He had some phenomenal scoring performances. He disproved the naysayers who said he wouldn't perform well due to his attitude and defense. All of his efforts gained him a spot as a consensus second team All-American as well.
Career Stats: 15.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.1 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 47.3% FG, 31.4% 3PT, 71.8% FT, 72 GP, 72 GS
2.) Tre Jones
Year(s): 2019-2020 | Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion, ACC All-Tournament, ACC All-Freshman, 2x ACC All-Defense, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, 1st Team All-ACC, ACC Player of the Year, 3rd Team All-American
The brother of former Final Four Most Outstanding Player and fan favorite Tyus Jones, Tre, came in with lofty expectations.
He boasted a feel for the game that was matched by very few. He exemplified elite court vision, on ball defense, mid range shooting, finishing, and sneaky athleticism. As part of the "4 Killas" or the 2018 recruiting class consisting of fellow five-star recruits Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish, the spot light was on Duke during Jones' freshman year. He struggled a bit with his jump shot as a freshman, but he put together a stellar campaign setting up his All-American teammates and playing suffocating defense on his way to conference recognition on the All-Freshman and All-Defense teams in 2019.
The young Blue Devils season ended in despair as they were upset by one point in the Elite 8 by Michigan State. Unlike his teammates, Jones opted to stick around for his sophomore year.
During the 2019-20 season, Jones delivered multiple 30 point games and one of the greatest comeback performances of all-time, capitalized by his iconic intentional miss and buzzer beater to force overtime versus UNC.
Jones went on to become the second player ever to win both ACC POY and DPOY in the same season. He was an All-American and a finalist for National DPOY. The only thing he did not do in 2020 was deliver the national title he so desperately sought. COVID put an untimely end to Jones' career at Duke, but before he was selected No. 41 in the 2020 NBA Draft by the Spurs, he left his mark on Durham forever.
Career Stats: 12.4 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, 0.2 BPG, 1.8 SPG, 41.9% FG, 31.3% 3PT, 76.7% FT, 65 GP, 65 GS
1.) Paolo Banchero
Year(s): 2022 | Accomplishments: Final Four, ACC Regular Season Champion, ACC All-Tournament, ACC All-Freshman, ACC Rookie of the Year, 1st Team All-ACC, NCAA Tournament All-Region, NCAA All-Tournament, 2nd Team All-American
Coach K's final All-American is the "Player of the 2020s" through the first five seasons.
K's final All-American. His final ROY. Final number one overall pick, and so much more. All delivered by Paolo Banchero. Banchero is a mix of skill and power that is rarely seen at the NBA level, better yet the college level. His ability to score in the paint using his 6-foot-10, 250-pound frame, and rise above defenders, coupled with his smooth ball fakes and jump shots made Banchero almost impossible to guard at moments. Very few players can say they are the best player on a Final Four team, and an All-American, and a number one overall pick.
Banchero can.
His all around game came to fruition during Duke's run to New Orleans. He was leading the Blue Devils in an efficient and dominant fashion. The young man from Seattle made for some unforgettable moments in Durham, which is why Coach K's final All-American takes the top spot on this list.
Career Stats: 17.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.9 BPG, 1.1 SPG, 47.8% FG, 33.8% 3PT, 72.9% FT, 39 GP, 39 GS
Ben McCormick | @Duke_Wisdom
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