The Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team represents Duke University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The team is fourth all-time in wins of any NCAA men's basketball program, and is currently coached by Jon Scheyer.
Duke has won five national championships (tied with Indiana for fifth all-time behind UCLA, Kentucky, North Carolina and UConn), and appeared in 11 national championship games (third all-time) and 18 Final Fours (third all-time). Duke has an NCAA-best .755 NCAA tournament winning percentage. Eleven Duke players have been named the National Player of the Year, and 72 players have been selected in the NBA draft, six of which were selected first overall (most all-time). Additionally, Duke has had 36 players named All-Americans (60 total selections) and 14 players named Academic All-Americans. Duke has been the Atlantic Coast Conference Champions a record 24 times, and also lays claim to 22 ACC regular season titles. Prior to joining the ACC, Duke won the Southern Conference championships five times. Duke has also finished the season ranked No. 1 in the AP poll eight times and is the all-time leader in total weeks ranked as the number one team in the nation by the AP with 145 weeks. Additionally, the Blue Devils have the third longest streak in the AP Top 25 in history with 200 consecutive appearances from 1996 to 2007, trailing only Kansas' 231 consecutive polls from 2009 to 2021, and UCLA's 221 consecutive polls from 1966 to 1980.
Contents
Team history
Early years (1906–1953)
In 1906, Wilbur Wade Card, Trinity College's Athletic Director and a member of the Class of 1900, introduced the game of basketball to Trinity. The January 30 issue of The Trinity Chronicle headlined the new sport on its front page. Trinity's first game ended in a loss to Wake Forest, 24–10. The game was played in the Angier B. Duke Gymnasium, later known as The Ark. The Trinity team won its first title in 1920, the state championship, by beating the North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering (now NC State) 25 to 24. Earlier in the season they had beaten the University of North Carolina 19–18 in the first match-up between the two schools. Trinity college then became Duke University.
Billy Werber, Class of 1930, became Duke's first All-American in basketball. The Gothic-style West Campus opened that year, with a new gym, later to be named for Coach Card. The Indoor Stadium opened in 1940. Initially it was referred to as an "Addition" to the gymnasium. Part of its cost was paid for with the proceeds from the Duke football team's appearance in the 1938 Rose Bowl. In 1972 it would be named for Eddie Cameron, head coach from 1929 to 1942.
In 1952, Dick Groat became the first Duke player to be named National Player of the Year. Duke left the Southern Conference to become a charter member of the Atlantic Coast Conference in 1953. The Duke team under Vic Bubas made its first appearance in the Final Four in 1963, losing 94–75 to Loyola Chicago in the semifinal. The next year, Bubas' team reached the national title game, losing to the Bruins of UCLA, which claimed the first of that program's 10 titles in the next 12 years. Bob Verga was Duke's star player in 1967.
Bill Foster (1974–1980)
The basketball program won its 1000th game in 1974, making Duke only the eighth school in NCAA history to reach that figure. In a turnaround, Coach Bill Foster's 1978 Blue Devils, who had gone 2–10 in the ACC the previous year, won the conference tournament and went on to the NCAA championship game, where they fell to Kentucky. Gene Banks, Mike Gminski ('80) and Jim Spanarkel ('79) ran the floor.
Mike Krzyzewski (1980–2022)
Mike Krzyzewski was at Duke from 1980 to 2022.
5 National Championships – 2nd most all time, the last being in 2015
13 Final Fours as well as five in a row from 1988 to 1992
17 Elite Eights
26 Sweet Sixteens and nine straight from 1998–2006
36 NCAA tournament berths
101 NCAA tournament wins (most ever)
14 No. 1 seeds
28 conference titles (13 regular season, 15 tournament), 10 of the 13 ACC Tournament Titles from 1998–99 through 2010–11
15 30-win seasons
36 20-win seasons
Number 1 AP ranking in 17 of the past 28 seasons
8 Naismith College Player of the Year Awards
9 National Defensive Players of the Year Awards
26 AP All-Americans
14 consensus first team All-Americans
11 NBA top-10 picks: T-1st
23 NBA Draft first round picks
1,202 career wins
Krzyzewski's teams made the Final Four in 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2010, 2015 and 2022.
Jon Scheyer (2022–present)
On June 2, 2021, Scheyer was named as the next head coach at Duke following Krzyzewski's retirement at the end of the 2021-22 season. On March 11, 2023, he became the first person to win an ACC tournament title as both a coach and a player.
Former Duke stars such as Jim Spanarkel, Gene Banks, Alaa Abdelnaby, Johnny Dawkins, Cherokee Parks, Bobby Hurley, Antonio Lang, Roshown McLeod, William Avery, Trajan Langdon, Grant Hill, Danny Ferry, Christian Laettner, Kenny Dennard, Brian Davis, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Dahntay Jones, Daniel Ewing, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph, Shelden Williams, Corey Maggette, Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts, Gerald Henderson, Andre Dawkins, Austin Rivers, Lance Thomas, Kyle Singler, Miles Plumlee, Mason Plumlee, Marshall Plumlee, Bob Verga, Quinn Cook, Nolan Smith, Jason Williams, Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, Seth Curry, Kyrie Irving, Matt Jones, Amile Jefferson, Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones, Justise Winslow, Grayson Allen, Brandon Ingram, Luke Kennard, Jayson Tatum, Harry Giles, Frank Jackson, Gary Trent Jr., Trevon Duval, Marvin Bagley III, Wendell Carter Jr., RJ Barrett, Marques Bolden, Cam Reddish, Zion Williamson, Tre Jones, Vernon Carey Jr., Cassius Stanley, Jalen Johnson, Paolo Banchero, Mark Williams, Wendell Moore Jr., Trevor Keels, AJ Griffin and Dereck Lively II have gone on to play in the NBA.
Many of Krzyzewski's assistants and former players, such as Tommy Amaker (Seton Hall, University of Michigan and Harvard), Bob Bender (Illinois State University and University of Washington), Chuck Swenson at William & Mary, Mike Brey (Delaware and Notre Dame), Jeff Capel (VCU, Oklahoma and Pittsburgh), Chris Collins (Northwestern), Johnny Dawkins (Stanford, UCF), Quin Snyder (Missouri, Utah Jazz, Atlanta Hawks), Steve Wojciechowski (Marquette), and JJ Redick (Los Angeles Lakers) have become head basketball coaches at major universities and the NBA, while Pete Gaudet is now the head coach of the India women's national basketball team.
NCAA tournament seeding history
The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1978 edition.
Complete NCAA tournament results
The Blue Devils have appeared in the NCAA tournament 48 times. Their combined record is 127–42.
NIT results
The Blue Devils have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) five times. Their combined record is 5–6.
Key statistics
As of the 2017–18 season, the Blue Devils' program record is as follows.
Duke has been ranked as the #1 team in the nation 235 weeks in their history.
Duke had not lost a non-conference game at Cameron from 2000 until 2019, when SFASU beat Duke in overtime (85–83). Duke maintains a tradition of hosting the previous season's Division II national champion in an exhibition game each November.
Cameron Indoor Stadium and fanbase
Cameron Indoor Stadium was completed on January 6, 1940, having cost $400,000. At the time, it was the largest gymnasium in the country south of the Palestra at the University of Pennsylvania. Originally called Duke Indoor Stadium, it was renamed for Coach Cameron on January 22, 1972. The building originally included seating for 8,800, though standing room was sufficient to ensure that 12,000 could fit in on a particularly busy day. Then, as now, Duke students were allowed a large chunk of the seats, including those directly alongside the court. Renovations in 1987–1988 removed the standing room areas and added seats, bringing capacity to 9,314.
Cameron Crazies
Duke's men's basketball teams have had a decided home-court advantage for many years, in large part due to a student section along the length of the court populated by the Cameron Crazies. The hardwood floor has been dedicated and renamed Coach K Court in honor of head coach Mike Krzyzewski, and the tent city outside Cameron where students camp out before big games is known as Krzyzewskiville. In 1999, Sports Illustrated ranked Cameron the fourth best venue in all of professional and college sports, and USA Today referred to it as "the toughest road game in the nation".
Criticism
The Duke men's basketball team has been noted as a particularly hated team within the sport. Some of the hate comes from fans of rival teams, most notably the North Carolina Tar Heels. The hate is often tied to Duke's record, as the team has experienced success in most seasons since the late 1980s.
The hate is often tied to specific players. Christian Laettner, who played for Duke from 1988 to 1992 as they won two national championships, is often named as one of the most hated players in college basketball. The 2015 documentary I Hate Christian Laettner names five main reasons for the hate: "privilege, race, bully, greatness and looks".
JJ Redick, who played at Duke from 2002 to 2006 also experienced hatred and animosity from fans during his tenure. Another particularly hated player is Grayson Allen, who played for Duke from 2014 to 2018. In addition to many of the reasons Laettner was hated, Allen was also targeted after several incidents in which he deliberately tripped opposing players.
Player awards
National Players of the Year
Dick Groat Helms, UPI
Art Heyman AP, UPI, U.S. Basketball Writers
Johnny Dawkins Naismith
Danny Ferry Naismith, UPI, U.S. Basketball Writers
Christian Laettner AP, Basketball Times, NABC, Naismith, Rupp, U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden
Elton Brand AP, NABC, Naismith, Rupp, U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden, Sporting News
Shane Battier AP, Basketball Times, Naismith, Rupp, U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden, Sporting News
Jay Williams AP, Basketball Times, NABC (2), Naismith, Rupp, U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden, Sporting News
JJ Redick AP, Basketball Times, NABC, Naismith, Rupp (2), U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden, Sporting News
Marvin Bagley III, NABC
RJ Barrett, Wooden, USA Today
Zion Williamson AP, NABC, Naismith, U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden, Sporting News
Cooper Flagg U.S. Basketball Writers, NABC
Cameron Boozer Sporting News, U.S. Basketball Writers, Wooden, Naismith, AP, NABC
National Defensive Player of the Year
Tommy Amaker (1987)
Billy King (1988)
Grant Hill (1993)
Steve Wojciechowski (1998)
Shane Battier (1999, 2000, 2001)
Shelden Williams (2005, 2006)
ACC Defensive Player of the Year
(since 2005)
Shelden Williams (2005, 2006)
DeMarcus Nelson (2008)
Tre Jones (2020)
Mark Williams (2022)
Maliq Brown (2026)
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Mike Krzyzewski (2001)
Grant Hill (2018)
McDonald's All-Americans
The following 78 McDonald's All-Americans have signed and played for Duke.
1977 – Gene Banks
1978 – Vince Taylor
1982 – Johnny Dawkins
1983 – Tommy Amaker & Martin Nessley
1985 – Danny Ferry & Quin Snyder
1986 – Alaa Abdelnaby & Phil Henderson
1988 – Christian Laettner & Crawford Palmer
1989 – Bobby Hurley & Billy McCaffrey
1990 – Grant Hill
1991 – Cherokee Parks
1992 – Chris Collins
1993 – Joey Beard
1994 – Trajan Langdon, Ricky Price & Steve Wojciechowski
1995 – Taymon Domzalski
1996 – Nate James
1997 – Elton Brand, Shane Battier & Chris Burgess
1998 – Corey Maggette
1999 – Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Casey Sanders & Jay Williams (basketball)
2000 – Chris Duhon
2001 – Daniel Ewing
2002 – Sean Dockery, JJ Redick, Shavlik Randolph & Michael Thompson
Current Blue Devils in the NBA and international leagues
As of July 21, 2026, these former Blue Devils players were in the NBA:
Former Blue Devils in international leagues
Joey Baker – Joondalup Wolves
Marques Bolden – Ironi Ness Ziona B.C.
Javin DeLaurier – Promitheas Patras B.C.
Trevon Duval – Manisa Büyükşehir Belediyespor
Harry Giles III - Shanxi Loongs
Jacob Grandison – Vilpas Vikings
Matthew Hurt – South East Melbourne Phoenix
Frank Jackson – Nanterre 92
Jahlil Okafor – Capitanes de Arecibo
Jabari Parker – FC Barcelona
Jeremy Roach – Wilki Morskie Szczecin
Cassius Stanley – BC Šiauliai
DJ Steward – Aquila Basket Trento
Jack White – Melbourne United
Rivalries
The Duke–North Carolina rivalry is often ranked among the top rivalries in both college basketball and all North American sports. Entering the 2023 - 2024 season, North Carolina leads the rivalry, winning 141 games to Duke's 115. The Duke Blue Devils face the North Carolina Tar Heels twice each year during ACC play, with thousands of Duke undergraduate students participating in an annual tradition of camping out in Krzyzewskiville, a lawn in front of Cameron Indoor Stadium, for months to line up for admission into the rivalry game. The two teams always face each other for their last game of the regular season, with the home team hosting their Senior Night. Some years, the two teams meet for a third game in the ACC tournament. The teams have met twice in post-season tournament play. In 2022, the two schools met in the Final Four to face each other in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. In that game, the Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 81–77. In 1971 the two rivals met in the semi-finals of the NIT, a game also won by North Carolina by a score of 73 - 69. Duke also has rivalries with NC State and Wake Forest, and together with UNC, the 4 schools form Tobacco Road.
Duke and North Carolina have combined for 11 national championships, with North Carolina leading Duke 6–5. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented by the proximity of the two universities, located only ten miles apart along U.S. Highway 15–501 (also known as Tobacco Road) or eight miles apart in straight-line distance in the cities of Durham and Chapel Hill. In addition, Duke is a private university whereas North Carolina is a public school; the vastly different funding structures and cultures between the two further contribute to the intensity of the rivalry.
Former Esquire editor and author (and North Carolina graduate) Will Blythe argues that the rivalry's passion can be attributed greatly to class and culture in the South.
To legions of otherwise reasonable adults, it is a conflict that surpasses sports; it is locals against outsiders, elitists against populists, even good against evil... The rivalry may be a way of aligning oneself with larger philosophic ideals — of choosing teams in life — a tradition of partisanship that reveals the pleasures and even the necessity of hatred.
The rivalry has been the subject of various books and articles, including To Hate Like This Is to Be Happy Forever by Blythe and Blue Blood by Art Chansky.
By the numbers
All-time wins – 2,271
All-time winning percentage – .712
NCAA championships – 5
NCAA tournament runner-up – 6
All-Americans – 49 players
ACC regular season titles – 23
ACC tournament titles – 24 (most all-time)
NCAA championship games – 11
NCAA Final Fours – 18
NCAA tournament appearances – 47
NCAA tournament wins – 121
No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament – 14
Number of weeks ranked all-time in the top 25 of the AP Poll – 870
Number of times defeating the No. 1 ranked team in the country – 11
Victories over AP No. 1 team
Duke has 11 victories over the AP number one ranked team.
January 27, 1958 – NR Duke 72, No. 1 West Virginia 68
December 10, 1965 – No. 8 Duke 82, No. 1 UCLA 66
December 11, 1965 – No. 8 Duke 94, No. 1 UCLA 75
March 11, 1984 – No. 16 Duke 77, No. 1 North Carolina 75
March 26, 1988 – No. 5 Duke 63, No. 1 Temple 53
March 30, 1991 – No. 2 Duke 79, No. 1 UNLV 77
December 5, 1992 – No. 4 Duke 79, No. 1 Michigan 68
November 26, 1997 – No. 4 Duke 95, No. 1 Arizona 87
February 22, 2014 – No. 5 Duke 66, No. 1 Syracuse 60
November 26, 2021 – No. 5 Duke 84, No. 1 Gonzaga 81
February 21, 2026 - No. 3 Duke 68, No. 1 Michigan 63