Duke in the NBA Update: Irving Off to Fast Start

With an NCAA-leading 15 players active in the NBA, Duke basketball is well represented in the professional ranks. Included among Duke's alumni are NBA newcomers Kyrie Irving - the No. 1 overall pick by Cleveland in the 2011 NBA Draft - and Nolan Smith, who is beginning his career with the Portland Trailblazers.

Read on to find out how your favorite former Blue Devils are playing this season.

Shane Battier
Miami Heat - Forward
Drafted: 1st Round (6th Pick) by the Memphis Grizzlies (2001)
2011-12 Stats: 7 Games, 2.7 PPG, 1.0 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.7 BPG
Battier, a three-time National Defensive Player of the Year at Duke, signed on with the Miami Heat during the offseason in pursuit of his first NBA Championship. An 11-year NBA veteran who averages 9.5 points per game during his career, Battier has not hit a groove on the offensive end of the court, but is still anchoring things on the defensive side as he has done his entire career. Approaching his 800th career block, Battier - who already has over 800 steals during his career - has helped the Heat post the sixth-largest scoring differential in the NBA. Said Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra of the former lottery pick, "Already, four of our top defensive five-man units, coincidentally or not-so-coincidentally, he's in them. And he happens to find a way to make your defense better, sharper, stronger, more intelligent, one way or another."

Carlos Boozer
Chicago Bulls - Forward/Center
Drafted: 2^nd Round (35^th pick) by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2002)
2011-12 Stats: 7 Games, 13.4 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.6 BPG

Boozer has scored in double figures in six of his seven games and is hitting 52.4 percent of his shots. The nine-year pro and two-time NBA All-Star, who averages 17.2 points and 10.1 rebounds for his career, is a key member of a Bulls team that is off to a 6-1 start and ranks among the top six in the NBA in points per game and points allowed per game. He already has two double-doubles and leads the team in rebounding (8.1 RPG).

Elton Brand
Philadelphia 76ers - Forward/Center
Drafted: 1^st Round (1^st pick) by the Chicago Bulls (1999)
2011-12 Stats: 5 Games, 9.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG
A former No. 1 overall pick and a 13-year veteran, Brand is still playing at a high level in his fourth season with the 76ers. Brand, a two-time NBA All-Star, is Philadelphia's second leading rebounder and has scored in double figures three times. An underrated defensive player who has over 1,500 blocks and nearly 800 steals during his career, Brand amassed a career-high five steals against the Golden State Warriors on New Year's Eve.

Luol Deng
Chicago Bulls - Forward/Center
Drafted: 1^st Round (7^th pick) by the Phoenix Suns (2004)
2011-12 Stats: 7 Games, 15.4 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG
Deng is the Bulls' second-leading scorer, averaging 15.4 points per game to trail only reigning MVP Derrick Rose. He has scored in double figures in all but one game, led the team in scoring twice and is on pace to record his 8,000th career point by the end of the month. Deng, fellow Blue Devil Carlos Boozer and reigning MVP Derrick Rose form their own "Big Three" in Chicago where the Bulls have one of the top offenses in the NBA and are off to a 6-1 start.

Chris Duhon
Orland Magic - Guard
Drafted: 2^nd Round (38^th pick) by the Chicago Bulls (2004)
2011-12 Stats: 7 Games, 4.0 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.1 BPGDuhon is in his second year with the Orlando Magic looking to rebound from a disappointing 2010-11 season. A member of Duke's 2001 National Championship team, Duhon has settled into the backup point guard role behind Jameer Nelson. He has logged at least 15 minutes in all but one game and owns a 2.33:1 assist-to-turnover ratio on the year while shooting 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point range. Duhon, in his second year with his new team, admits he feels more comfortable with his role which has led to his improved play. "I'm not playing tentative. I'm not thinking; I'm just playing basketball," he said.

Mike Dunleavy
Milwaukee Bucks - Guard/Forward
Drafted: 1^st Round (3^rd pick) by the Golden State Warriors (2002)
2011-12 Stats: 3 Games, 10.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Dunleavy landed in a new spot this year, moving on to the Milwaukee Bucks after playing the last five years with the Indiana Pacers. He jumped out to a solid start with his new team, averaging 10.3 points and 4.0 assists over his first three games before the flu sidelined him for Milwaukee's last two games.

Gerald Henderson
Charlotte Bobcats - Shooting Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (12^th pick) by the Charlotte Bobcats (2009)
2011-12 Stats: 6 Games, 15.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 2.0 SPG, 0.5 BPG
Things clicked for Henderson after the all-star break last year when he averaged 14.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists over his final 26 games. He scored 20 points six times during that span while also improving on the defensive end and recorded 33 of his 50 steals during that run. Henderson had corrective surgery to fix a lingering knee issue during the offseason and reported that he had never felt better coming into the season. That showed in his first two games when scored in double figures both times, including a 21-point effort against the Miami Heat in which he played over 42 total minutes. A tremendous athlete with explosive leaping ability, the Bobcats have targeted Henderson as a player to build their future around.

Grant Hill
Phoenix Suns - Forward
Drafted: 1^st Round (3^rd pick) by the Detroit Pistons (1994)
2011-12 Stats: 6 Games, 9.7 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG
After a 17-year career in the NBA, Hill is still a productive player, averaging over eight points and four rebounds per game. He has played through a sore knee early in the season, perhaps affecting his shooting touch as he is shooting just 36.5 percent so far. As the season wears on and his knee gets healthy, however, he should get closer to his career .485 shooting percentage. He is also a perfect 12-for-12 from the free throw line this year, pulled in a season-high eight rebounds against Golden State and scored a season-high 14 points in his last game against Dallas.

Kyrie Irving
Cleveland Cavaliers - Point Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (1^st pick) by the Cleveland Cavaliers (2011)
2011-12 Stats: 6 Games, 14.2 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 5.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.8 BPG
The No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, Irving has made an immediate impact with the Cavaliers averaging 14.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in his six games. Though still adjusting to the speed of the NBA, Irving has put together several impressive outings so far. He helped Cleveland to a 105-89 win over Detroit with 14 points and seven assists and followed that up with a career-high 20 points in a loss to the Indiana Pacers. He went 3-for-4 from the three-point line against New Jersey for 13 points and then scored 20 points on 8-of-10 shooting in a 115-101 win against Charlotte.

Dahntay Jones
Indiana Pacers - Guard/Forward (2003)
Drafted: 1^st Round (20^th pick) by the Boston Celtics
2011-12 Stats: 6 Games, 5.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Jones is a reserve guard/forward with the Pacers and has played in all six games this year. Against the New Jersey Nets, he scored 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including a three-pointer. He played a season-high 22:09 in that game and is averaging 16 minutes per game.

Corey Maggette
Charlotte Bobcats - Forward
Drafted: 1^st Round (13^th pick) by the Seattle SuperSonics (1999)
2011-12 Stats: 6 Games, 12.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG
When the Bobcats brought in Maggette, they charged the 13-year pro with the task of being the veteran leader of a young team in the midst of a rebuilding process. Maggette is the senior member of a Charlotte squad that includes three rookies and six other players who have played four years or fewer in the NBA. While his production has been modest so far - 12.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game - Maggette has already begun to make an impact on a number of the rookies, including No. 9 overall pick Kemba Walker who noted "It's been like that since Day 1. He told me whenever I struggle with anything, come talk to him."

Josh McRoberts
Los Angeles Lakers - Forward/Center
Drafted: 2^nd Round (37^th pick) by the Portland Trail Blazers (2007)
2011-12 Stats: 6 Games, 5.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 1.0 BPG
McRoberts worked his way up from the NBA Development League to become a productive member of the Indianapolis Pacers from 2008-11 and then signed on with the Los Angeles Lakers for 2011-12. He was quickly thrust into a starting role early in the season after Lakers starting center Andrew Bynum was suspended for the first five games and provided steady production averaging nearly six points and six rebounds per game. Laker fans even began referring to him as "Josh McRambis," a reference to former Laker fan favorite Kurt Rambis who played with the team from 1981-88 and again from 1993-95. Said McRoberts of the nickname, "That's a privilege and an honor to be compared to somebody like that."

J.J. Redick
Orlando Magic - Shooting Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (11^th pick) by the Orlando Magic (2006)
2011-12 Stats: 7 Games, 13.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Redick had steadily improved his scoring average for three straight seasons entering 2011-12, and is off to the best start of his career this season averaging 13.9 points per game. The former National Player of the Year and lottery pick already has a pair of 20-point games under his belt this year while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from the three-point line. He is also a near-perfect 24-for-26 from the foul line and has the Magic off to a 5-2 start. Orland has won all five games in which Redick has scored in double figures.

Nolan Smith
Portland Trail Blazers - Point Guard
Drafted: 1^st Round (21^st pick) by the Portland Trail Blazers (2011)
2011-12 Stats: 2 Games, 3.5 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Smith played in the first two games of the year with Portland, making three of his four shots including a three-pointer. Smith, drafted to run the point in Portland, was new to the position as a senior at Duke but went on to have one of the best seasons in school history being named ACC Player of the Year and an All-American while averaging over 20 points per game. Still, Smith is a rookie in a crowded point guard rotation with the Trail Blazers and is battling for playing time. He is still making the adjustment to the pro game, as he noted, "Everything is faster here (in the NBA). The decision-making has to be way quicker. Guys are faster, guys have longer arms, if you think for a half-second, you could lose the ball. You have to make the read right away."

Shelden Williams
New Jersey Nets - Forward/Center
Drafted: 1^st Round (5^th pick) by the Atlanta Hawks (2006)
2011-12 Stats: 7 Games, 3.9 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG
Williams, now in his sixth year of professional basketball, signed with New Jersey during the offseason and is serving as the backup at power forward to Kris Humphries. Formerly known as "The Landlord" in Cameron Indoor Stadium, Williams drew back-to-back starting assignments in his last two games and responded with eight points and nine rebounds - including five on the offense end - against the Boston Celtics.

Other Blue Devils in Professional Basketball

Daniel Ewing
Azovmash (Ukraine) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (Eurocup): 8 Games, 13.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Ukraine): 19 Games, 14.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.3 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG
2011-12 Stats (VTB United): 8 Games, 13.6 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG

David McClure
Kedainiai (Lithuania) - Forward
2011-12 Stats (Baltic): 17 Games, 9.9 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Lithuania): 10 Games, 10.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.0 BPG

DeMarcus Nelson
Cholet (France) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (France): 7 Games, 17.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Marty Pocius
Real Madrid (Spain) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (Euroleague): 8 Games, 8.0 PPG, 1.9 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.3 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Spain): 11 Games, 6.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG

Shavlik Randolph
Donnguan Leopards (China) - Center
2011-12 Stats: 19 Games, 24.6 PPG, 12.3 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.8 BPG

Jon Scheyer
Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) - Guard
2011-12 Stats (Adriatic): 11 Games, 1.6 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.3 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.0 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Euroleague): 3 Games, 1.0 PPG, 0.0 RPG, 0.0 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Israel): 10 Games, 2.2 PPG, 0.7 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG

Kyle Singler
Real Madrid (Spain) - Forward
2011-12 Stats (Euroleague): 2 Games, 10.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG
2011-12 Stats (Spain): 4 Games, 3.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Duke in the NBA Update: Irving Off to Fast Start

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Kyrie Irving

Kyle Singler

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Duke in the NBA Update: Irving Off to Fast Start

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