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List of Duke Basketball Program's All-Time NBA Champs
The count would've been at nine had Kyrie Irving, Dereck Lively II, and the Dallas Mavericks prevailed in the NBA Finals. But 26-year-old superstar Jayson Tatum, the eighth Duke basketball pro in history to become an NBA champion, and the Boston Celtics took care of business on Monday night, capturing the Larry O'Brien Trophy with a 106-88 Game 5 home victory.
Tatum did not take home MVP hardware, as that honor went to Boston co-star Jaylen Brown. The 2016-17 Duke basketball one-and-done, now a five-time All-Star and reigning All-NBA First Team selection, did earn several MVP votes, though. After all, the 26-year-old posted 31 points, eight boards, and 11 assists in the title-clincher, bumping his Finals averages to 22.2 points, 7.8 boards, and 7.2 dimes.
He and Irving, a clutch performer alongside LeBron James for the champion Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, are the only two of the Blue Devils' eight NBA champions who were stars on their respective teams.
👿 6th player in NBA history to win title while leading team in PTS + REB + AST
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) June 18, 2024
👿 Most playoff points EVER by a player age 26 or younger
👿 1st Celtics player EVER with 30 pts / 10 ast in NBA Finals game
💙 A1 dad @jaytatum0 pic.twitter.com/OIHokkCJ8u
However, they aren't the only two big-time NBA Finals bucket-getters in that bunch. No, two-time NBA champion Shane Battier famously went 6-for-8 beyond the arc to help ensure James and the Miami Heat came out on top in Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs in 2013.
Here's the complete list of NBA Blue Devil champs:
- Jeff Mullins with the Golden State Warriors in 1975
- Danny Ferry with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003
- Shane Battier with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013
- Kyrie Irving with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016
- Dahntay Jones with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016
- Quinn Cook with the Golden State Warriors in 2018 and Los Angeles Lakers in 2020
- Jack White with the Denver Nuggets in 2023
- Jayson Tatum with the Boston Celtics in 2024
MATT GILES
Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of FanNation's Blue Devil Country and All Tar Heels, covering the Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels on SI.com.