Top 25 Duke men's basketball players of the 2010s

By: Ben McCormick

June 10, 2024

All photos from Duke Athletics

The sequel to the Top 15 Players of the 2020s list, the 2010s needed a bit more space to account for all of the talent. Fifteen slots just wasn't enough. Due to the massive increase in one-and-done talent at Duke, the 2010s is almost inarguably the decade with the largest quantity of talent at Duke.

The diversity in careers made this one of the most difficult rankings to produce too. How do you weigh a single season, which may have been better than any single season a successful four-year player had, versus that entire fruitful career? It's not easy.

Still, I took a stab at it.

It is determined solely based on their overall play at Duke. NBA performance or potential is not taken into consideration. For players that also played in the 2000s or 2020s, 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, Nolan Smith is included (2008-2011), but Jon Scheyer is not (2007-2010). Likewise, Jack White hypothetically could be included (2017-2020), but Tre Jones is not (2019-2020).

For now, explanations are not included on the article because an episode of the Duke Wisdom Podcast breaking down the list is dropping on the morning of Tuesday, June 11.

Other Honorable Mentions: Frank Jackson, Trevon Duval, Miles Plumlee, Marshall Plumlee

Top HM.) Kyrie Irving

Year(s): 2011

Team Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion

Individual Accolades: NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 1st pick / 13 years (2011-present)

25.) Andre Dawkins

Year(s): 2010-2012, 2014

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2010), Final Four (2010), 2x ACC Tournament Champion (2010, 2011), ACC Regular Season Champion (2010)

Individual Accolades: 1,014 career points (67th all-time), 231 three-pointers made (10th all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: Undrafted / 1 year (2014-15)

24.) Matt Jones

Year(s): 2014-2017

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2015), Final Four (2015), ACC Tournament Champion (2017)

Individual Accolades: ACC All-Defense (2017), NCAA Tournament All-Region (2015)

NBA Draft/Experience: Undrafted / N/A

23.) Cam Reddish

Year(s): 2019

Team Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion

Individual Accolades: N/A

NBA Draft/Experience: 10th pick / 5 years (2019-present)

22.) Gary Trent Jr.

Year(s): 2018

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 37th pick / 6 years (2018-present)

21.) Justise Winslow

Year(s): 2015

Team Accomplishments: National Champion, Final Four

Individual Accolades: ACC All-Freshman, NCAA All-Tournament, NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 10th pick / 8 years (2015-2023)

20.) Ryan Kelly

Year(s): 2010-2013

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2010), Final Four (2010), 2x ACC Tournament Champion (2010, 2011), ACC Regular Season Champion (2010)

Individual Accolades: N/A

NBA Draft/Experience: 48th pick / 4 years (2013-2017)

19.) Rodney Hood

Year(s): 2013-2014

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: 2nd team All-ACC (2014), ACC All-Tournament (2014)

NBA Draft/Experience: 23rd pick / 8 years (2014-2022)

18.) Wendell Carter Jr.

Year(s): 2018

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: 2nd team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman

NBA Draft/Experience: 7th pick / 6 years (2018-present)

17.) Amile Jefferson

Year(s): 2013-2017

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2015), Final Four (2015), ACC Tournament Champion (2017)

Individual Accolades: 2x ACC All-Tournament (2014, 2017), 1,079 career points (61st all-time), 137 career blocks (9th all-time), 150 games played (1st all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: Undrafted / 2 years (2018-2020)

16.) Austin Rivers

Year(s): 2012

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: 1st team All-ACC, ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Tournament

NBA Draft/Experience: 10th pick / 11 years (2012-2023)

15.) Tyus Jones

Year(s): 2015

Team Accomplishments: National Champion, Final Four

Individual Accolades: Final Four Most Outstanding Player, 3rd team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman, NCAA All-Tournament, NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 24th pick / 9 years (2015-present)

14.) Brandon Ingram

Year(s): 2016

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: ACC Freshman of the Year, 2nd team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman, NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 2nd pick / 8 years (2016-present)

13.) Jayson Tatum

Year(s): 2017

Team Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion

Individual Accolades: 3rd team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Tournament

NBA Draft/Experience: 3rd pick / 7 years (2017-present)

12.) Seth Curry

Year(s): 2010-2013

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2010)*, Final Four (2010)*, 2x ACC Tournament Champion (2010*, 2011), ACC Regular Season Champion (2010)*

Individual Accolades: 2nd team All-ACC (2013), 3rd team All-ACC (2012), NCAA Tournament All-Region (2013), ACC All-Tournament (2011), 1,394 career points (37th all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: Undrafted / 11 years (2013-present)

* = while redshirting as a transfer

11.) Quinn Cook

Year(s): 2012-2015

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2015), Final Four (2015)

Individual Accolades: 2nd team All-ACC (2015), 3rd team All-ACC (2013), 1,571 career points (29th all-time), 509 career assists (7th all-time), 236 three-pointers made (9th all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: Undrafted / 5 years (2016-2021)

10.) Jabari Parker

Year(s): 2014

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: 1st team All-American, National Freshman of the Year, 1st team All-ACC, ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Tournament

NBA Draft/Experience: 2nd pick / 8 years (2014-2022)

9.) Mason Plumlee

Year(s): 2010-2013

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2010), Final Four (2010), 2x ACC Tournament Champion (2010, 2011), ACC Regular Season Champion (2010)

Individual Accolades: 2nd team All-American (2013), National Big Man of the Year (2013), 1st team All-ACC (2013), 3rd team All-ACC (2012), NCAA Tournament All-Region (2013) 1,384 career points (38th all-time), 1,088 career rebounds (4th all-time), 199 career blocks (4th all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: 22nd pick / 11 years (2013-present)

8.) Luke Kennard

Year(s): 2016-2017

Team Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion (2017)

Individual Accolades: 2nd team All-American (2017), 1st team All-ACC (2017), ACC Tournament MVP (2017), ACC All-Tournament (2017), 1,147 career points (51st all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: 12th pick / 7 years (2017-present)

7.) RJ Barrett

Year(s): 2019

Team Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion

Individual Accolades: National Shooting Guard of the Year, 1st team All-American, 1st team All-ACC, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Tournament, NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 3rd pick / 5 years (2019-present)

6.) Grayson Allen

Year(s): 2015-2018

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2015), Final Four (2015), ACC Tournament Champion (2017)

Individual Accolades: 1st team All-ACC (2016), 3rd team All-ACC (2018), NCAA All-Tournament (2015), 2x ACC All-Tournament (2017, 2018), 1,996 career points (12th all-time), 291 three-pointers made (5th all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: 21st pick / 6 years (2018-present)

5.) Jahlil Okafor

Year(s): 2015

Team Accomplishments: National Champion, Final Four

Individual Accolades: 1st team All-American, National Big Man of the Year, National Freshman of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, 1st team All-ACC, ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Tournament

NBA Draft/Experience: 3rd pick / 6 years (2015-2021)

4.) Marvin Bagley III

Year(s): 2018

Team Accomplishments: N/A

Individual Accolades: 1st team All-American, National Big Man of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, 1st team All-ACC, ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Tournament

NBA Draft/Experience: 2nd pick / 6 years (2018-present)

3.) Nolan Smith

Year(s): 2008-2011

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2010), Final Four (2010), 3x ACC Tournament Champion (2009, 2010, 2011), ACC Regular Season Champion (2010)

Individual Accolades: 1st team All-American (2011), ACC Player of the Year (2011), 1st team All-ACC (2011), 2nd team All-ACC (2010), ACC Tournament MVP (2011), ACC All-Defense (2011), NCAA All-Tournament (2010), NCAA Tournament All-Region (2010), 2x ACC All-Tournament (2010, 2011), 1,911 career points (18th all-time),

NBA Draft/Experience: 21st pick / 2 years (2011-2013)

2.) Kyle Singler

Year(s): 2008-2011

Team Accomplishments: National Champion (2010), Final Four (2010), 3x ACC Tournament Champion (2009, 2010, 2011), ACC Regular Season Champion (2010)

Individual Accolades: Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2010), 2x 1st team All-ACC (2010, 2011), 2nd team All-ACC (2009), 3rd team All-ACC (2008), ACC Tournament MVP (2010), ACC Freshman of the Year (2008), ACC All-Freshman (2008), NCAA All-Tournament (2010), NCAA Tournament All-Region (2010), 3x ACC All-Tournament (2009, 2010, 2011), 2,392 career points (4th all-time), 1,015 career rebounds (6th all-time), 4,887 minutes played (1st all-time), 148 games played (2nd all-time), 267 three-pointers made (6th all-time), 497 free throws made (10th all-time)

NBA Draft/Experience: 33rd pick / 6 years (2012-2018)

1.) Zion Williamson

Year(s): 2019

Team Accomplishments: ACC Tournament Champion

Individual Accolades: National Player of the Year, National Power Forward of the Year, National Freshman of the Year, 1st team All-American, ACC Player of the Year, 1st team All-ACC, ACC Freshman of the Year, ACC All-Freshman, ACC All-Defense, ACC Tournament MVP, ACC All-Tournament, NCAA Tournament All-Region

NBA Draft/Experience: 1st pick / 5 years (2019-present)

Ben McCormick | @BenMcC33