University of Duke Men's Basketball

History

Duke basketball is one of the best programs in the history of college basketball. They currently set at #4 in all-time wins. Duke has won four national championships & also appeared in a total of fifteen Final Fours. To prove their greatness, Duke has nine previous players named National Player of the Year.

Not only those eleven players, but also a total of 71 players drafted into the NBA. Duke has more current players on NBA rosters than any other college program. Something very unusual is that Duke's current head basketball coach has been at the school for 30 years.

Duke also has the most ACC(Atlantic Coast Conference) regular season championships with nineteen. On top of that, winning eighteen ACC tournament titles. UCLA is the only team that's been ranked as the #1 team longer than Duke.

They have also garnered a total of fifty-five All-Americans. To show their academic side, they have a total of fourteen Academic All-Americans. Under current coach Mike Krzyewski, Duke has made the NCAA Tournament 26 times. They have been to 19 Sweet Sixteens.

They have been chosen as the #1 seed in the tournament 11 times. 11 seasons of 30+ wins. Krzyewski has won an amazing 795 games with only 220 losses in these 30 years of being coach at Duke. They have won all four championships under his control & the most recent coming in 2010.

Former Duke Basketball Greats

There have been a number or prior Duke basketball greats. From Dick Groat in 1952 to the more recent J.J Redick in 2005. There have been a total of nine past Duke players named Player of the Year. Groat won the award back in 1952. Art Heyman followed next in 1963. Johnny Dawkins won the award in 1986.

Danny Ferry took the honor in 1989. Christian Laettner won it in 1992. Elton Brand garnered the award in 1999. Shane Battier followed by winning in 2001. Jason Williams won the award in 2002 the next year right after Battier won it. The final claim to this award goes to J.J. Redick back in 2005.

The two biggest names on this lists are probably Danny Ferry & Christian Laettner. Ferry played at Duke from 1985-1989. He won first team All-American in 1989 & second team All-American in 1988. Ferry has the single game scoring record at Duke with 58 points in a game. He ranks 5th all-time in points & also 5th in total rebounds.

Laettner played at Duke from 1989-1992. Laettner is known in NCAA Tournament history for hitting the game-winning buzzer beater against Kentucky back in 1992. This game-winning shot gave Duke the East tournament finals & propelled them into the Final Four. He holds NCAA Tournament records for scoring, free throws made, free throws attempted, & most games played.

He is also currently the all-time Duke leader in 3-pt percentage at 48.5%. Laettner is also one of only four players to have played in 4 straight Final Fours. However, he's the only one to have started in all Final Fours.