Durham, North Carolina was absolutely buzzing this week, as NBA superstars and former Duke alums Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, and Paolo Banchero all returned to their old stomping grounds for a high-wattage run. Photos from the private scrimmage are making waves, and Duke’s even teasing a highlight video. You know this off-season session means these guys are tuning up!
Blue Devil Legends Return to Durham
Talk about a reunion! Irving, Tatum, and Banchero, all one-year Duke legends themselves, were seen putting in serious work. Irving suited up for the Blue Devils way back in the 2010-11 season, with Tatum owning the court in 2016-17, and Banchero making his mark in 2021-22. Irving even caught up with coaching royalty, greeting both Duke legend Mike Krzyzewski and current head coach Jon Scheyer. That’s a full circle moment right there, seeing the mentors and the current guard of the program connect with their biggest stars.
The Extended Duke NBA Family Showed Up
And it wasn’t just those three. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. was also in the mix, bringing more NBA talent to the mix. Earlier this week, even more Duke firepower showed up too, with Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jared McCain getting their runs in. It really makes you think about the Duke pipeline, doesn’t it? RealGM reports an insane 23 former Duke players are currently in the NBA. That’s a serious legacy, right there, with the best of the best still coming back to where it all started.
Get ready, because these former Blue Devils are clearly gearing up to light up the league once again. With that kind of talent on one court, you can bet the rest of the NBA is already taking notes.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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