ESPN’s latest top-100 NBA players list for the 2026-27 season put Duke’s footprint front and center, with 10 former Blue Devils making the cut. Jayson Tatum came out on top among that group at No. 9, while last season’s Rookie of the Year, Cooper Flagg, landed at No. 23.
The list also included a fresh batch of Duke names with big expectations attached. Recent No. 3 overall pick Cameron Boozer checked in at No. 85, and rookie Kon Knueppel made a major leap to No. 48 after a standout first season with the Charlotte Hornets.
Boozer was the third-highest ranked rookie on ESPN’s board, and the setup in Memphis could give him a real chance to shine. The Grizzlies are in a rebuilding phase after finishing 13th in the Western Conference last season, which could leave Boozer with a clear runway.
Knueppel’s rise was even more eye-catching. He entered his rookie year unranked, then played 81 of 82 games, led the league in 3-pointers made, and averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.7 steals while shooting 42.5% from deep. That production put him in rare company, joining two Hall of Famers in NBA history.
Elsewhere on the list, RJ Barrett came in at No. 99 after seven NBA seasons in which he has averaged 18.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 0.7 steals per game. Barrett also delivered a playoff moment last season that his hometown won’t forget, burying a game-winner to force Game 7 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’ll now continue as a third scorer behind Scottie Barnes and recent trade acquisition Kawhi Leonard.
Brandon Ingram landed at No. 65 and is back in Los Angeles for the second time in his career. Over 572 games across 10 seasons, he has averaged 19.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.6 blocks. This next stop gives him another shot to prove he can still be a No. 1 option alongside Darius Garland, Bradley Beal and Rui Hachimura.
Zion Williamson checked in at No. 51 after a season in which he played 62 games for the New Orleans Pelicans, the second-most of his six-year career. Even with that durability, he didn’t quite deliver the kind of explosiveness and scoring Duke fans are used to seeing. Williamson finished with career lows in points at 21 and rebounds at 5.7, while adding 3.2 assists, one steal and 0.5 blocks.
Kyrie Irving was ranked No. 39 despite missing the entire 2025-26 season while rehabbing an ACL injury. The nine-time All-Star remains one of the league’s most dangerous point guards when healthy, and his career averages still speak loudly: 23.7 points, 5.6 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals.
Paolo Banchero came in at No. 36 after four seasons with the Orlando Magic. He has already made one All-Star team and has averaged 22.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks. In last year’s playoffs, he nearly pushed the Magic to a Game 7 win over the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jalen Johnson was the other Duke alum ranked ahead of Flagg, coming in at No. 22.
He may be the most overlooked name in this group, even after putting up huge numbers last season and helping the Atlanta Hawks reach the No. 6 seed in the East. Johnson averaged 22.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.4 blocks, and at 25 entering his sixth NBA season, he looks like a player who could become one of the league’s toughest stars to handle.
At the very top of Duke’s contingent, Tatum’s No. 9 ranking reflects both his recovery and his ceiling. He returned quickly from an Achilles tear to play 16 regular-season games for the Boston Celtics, and now he heads into a full summer of workouts with a chance to stack another All-NBA season. With Jaylen Brown now out of the picture, Tatum’s usage could climb and open the door to his best year yet.
In Other News...
Cameron Boozer Is Already Earning The Kind Of NBA Praise Duke Expected
Cameron Boozers one-and-done season at Duke already gave the Blue Devils plenty to point to when it came to his profile as a future pro, and that conversation only got louder after the 2026 NBA Draft. Selected No. 3 overall by the Memphis Grizzlies, Boozer arrived in the league with the kind of reputation Duke fans are used to seeing attached to elite recruits who do not need long to prove they belong.
Former Virginia guard Ty Jerome added to that buzz during media day, offering a public nod to Boozers maturity and the broader package that made him such a coveted prospect. For Duke, it is another reminder that Boozers value was never just about the ranking or the hype, but about how quickly he earned trust as a leader and how smoothly he translated that into the next level. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Freshman Already Drawing Buzz As A Real Piece This Season
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje arrives at Duke with a different kind of resume than most freshmen. The 17-year-old spent his early career at FC Barcelona before making the jump to Durham, and his background has already given the Blue Devils another young frontcourt piece worth watching as the season gets underway.
There is still an adjustment period ahead as he settles into college basketball, but the early buzz around Boumtje Boumtje is real enough to have his teammates talking. Sophomore Dame Sarr, another former FC Barcelona player, has been among those expressing confidence in what Boumtje Boumtje can become, and Duke will be counting on that transition to keep moving in the right direction as his role grows. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Knows What This Duke Team Must Finally Prove
Jon Scheyer has spent enough time around Duke basketball to know the standard never really loosens, even after seasons that push the Blue Devils close to the top of the sport. As he looks at this years roster, the message is less about chasing the exact feel of recent teams and more about carrying forward what worked while trying to keep Duke in the hunt at the highest level.
The challenge, as Scheyer sees it, is that the Blue Devils cannot simply assume last seasons formula will show up again in the same way. The pieces that made that group so difficult to copy are not easy to replace, and the next step is making sure this roster keeps strengthening its foundation while aiming to compete deep into the season. [Read more 🡒]