Blue Devil Country

Thunder hire one of first Duke basketball players under Coach K

A Blue Devil from yesteryear is still making an impact in the NBA.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball guard Chip Engelland (Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports)
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New Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach Chip Engelland was a guard on Mike Krzyzewski's first three Duke basketball teams in the early 1980s. In each of those seasons, he shot better than 50 percent from the field and 85 percent from the foul line.

Some four decades later, the 61-year-old from Los Angeles is, according to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the league's "preeminent shooting teacher" after spending the past 17 years as an assistant under San Antonio Spurs legend Gregg Popovich.

But per a report from Wojnarowski on Wednesday, Engelland is heading to the Oklahoma City Thunder to become an assistant. He will look to help third-year head coach Mark Daigneault "develop the shooting habits across the young roster."

Immediately, Engelland will work on the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey, and Chet Holmgren. However, his expertise in instructing up-and-comers should come in handy for years, considering Oklahoma City currently enjoys 15 first-round picks and 13 second-round selections through the 2029 NBA Draft.

Looking back at the Duke basketball product's playing career

Across Chip Engelland's four seasons as a Duke basketball player, he averaged 9.1 points, 1.3 assists, and 1.5 rebounds per game.

Sure, those stats are not exactly eye-popping.

Nevertheless, Engelland's leadership during the early days of the Coach K era — his last two seasons in Durham coincided with the two lowest win totals of the eventual Hall of Famer's 42-year tenure — aided in setting a foundation for all the success that followed in Durham.

Chip Engelland went undrafted after graduating from Duke in 1983. He played a few years in the Philippines, where he earned "The Machine Gun" nickname for his shooting prowess, before spending six seasons in the now-defunct Continental Basketball Association.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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