DURHAM, N.C. – The 2025-26 NBA regular season tipped off on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and once again the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball program is well represented in the professional ranks.
The Brotherhood boasts 24 former Blue Devils on opening-day NBA rosters, according to the league's official listings — a testament to the sustained pipeline from Durham to the NBA.
The 24 on Opening-Day Rosters:
Duke has alumni on 14 different NBA franchises, including trios in:
Charlotte: Sion James, Kon Knueppel and Mason Plumlee.
Dallas: Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II.
Orlando: Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr. and Tyus Jones.
Phoenix: Grayson Allen, Khaman Maluach and Mark Williams.
Additional duos include Atlanta (Jalen Johnson, Luke Kennard), Toronto (RJ Barrett, Brandon Ingram), and Cleveland (Tyrese Proctor).
All five members of Duke's 2024-25 roster starting five made NBA squads: Proctor, Flagg, Knueppel, James and Maluach.
Veteran Blue Devils also feature prominently:
Jayson Tatum (rehabbing after an injury suffered in the 2025 NBA Playoffs) remains one of the league's stars and recently became Duke's Chief Basketball Officer.
Zion Williamson enters his seventh NBA season in New Orleans.
Gary Trent Jr. (Milwaukee) and Marvin Bagley III (Washington) are each entering their eighth seasons.
2024 Draft picks Kyle Filipowski (Utah) and Jared McCain (Philadelphia) are preparing for Year 2.
The 24-player roster presence underscores Duke's NBA influence: its alumni serve on opening-day rosters and, beyond that, hundreds of Duke graduates, coaches and executives serve in league front offices and scouting staffs across 17 of the 30 NBA teams, including iconic names such as Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski (special advisor), Commissioner Adam Silver, owner/stakeholder Grant Hill, 76ers GM Elton Brand, Pistons President Trajan Landon, Hawks coach Quin Snyder, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy and Lakers coach JJ Redick.
Notables Who Didn't Make a Roster
While many Blue Devils were captured on opening-day rosters, a handful of high-profile alumni did not secure NBA spots this year. Among them:
Trevor Keels: Waived by the Miami Heat on Oct 9, 2025.
Wendell Moore Jr.: Waived by the Boston Celtics on Oct 16, 2025.
Dariq Whitehead: Waived by the Brooklyn Nets on Oct 13, 2025; then signed an Exhibit 10 deal.
Seth Curry: Waived by the Golden State Warriors on Oct 18, 2025 (though a re-signing is expected).
Marques Bolden: Waived by the Warriors on Oct 15, expected to report to the G-League affiliate.
While this list may seem small in the context of the broader 24-player presence, each name is a reminder that even Duke alumni must navigate the intense competition of the NBA — where two-way deals, Exhibit 10 contracts and G-League assignments are part of the professional journey.