Editor’s note: list counts down from best to worst.

19) Cherokee Parks, drafted #12 overall in 1995

When Christian Laettner left Duke in 1992 for the NBA, it made way in the lineup for a quixotic big man named Cherokee, in honor of his mother’s Native American ancestry. Parks had a breakout performance in the 1994 NCAA Tournament, teaming up with Grant Hill to lead Duke to the Final Four. But his senior year in ’94-’95 was a disaster, the only losing season of the Coach K era. He was, however, a defensive menace, setting the school career blocks record (since broken), and was a lottery pick of the Mavericks. Parks had a journeyman career that included brief starting center stints with the Timberwolves and Grizzlies, averaging 4.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. The most notable thing about Parks’ pro career was his physical transformation away from the traditional clean-cut Duke look, amassing a large number of tattoos and often sporting unruly haircuts.

18) Roshown McLeod, drafted #20 overall in 1998

A graduate of the legendary St. Anthony High School in Jersey City that also produced Bobby Hurley, McLeod started his college career locally at St. John’s before becoming Coach K’s first ever transfer student in 1995. As a senior in ’97-’98, he was the team leader and top scorer in Shane Battier and Elton Brand’s freshman year, when Duke came up just short of the Final Four. Even though he was already 23 years old and this was the height of prep-to-pro draft picks, McLeod was a surprise first round selection of the Hawks at #20 overall. It didn’t turn out too well, as McLeod made only minor contributions in a three-year career that ended with a devastating Achilles’ tear. He quickly became a coach after his playing career ended, and eventually returned to St. Anthony, where in 2010 he took over the head coaching position from his fellow alumnus, Hurley.

17) Gary Melchionni, drafted #33 overall in 1973

The first Duke player to be named captain in back-to-back seasons, Melchionni was recruited by coach Vic Bubas in 1969 and then played under his replacement, Bucky Waters. Though his senior year was a losing season for Duke, Melchionni was named All-ACC and was subsequently drafted in the second round by the Suns. That same Phoenix franchise had drafted his brother Bill seven years prior but while the elder Melchionni was an ABA All-Star and assists leader, Gary lasted just two nondescript NBA seasons. He averaged a respectable 7.8 points per game backing up Dick Van Arsdale at shooting guard, but Melchionni found himself out of a job in 1975 when the Suns drafted Ricky Sobers and traded for Paul Westphal. After brief stints in the CBA and the Italian pro league, Melchionni retired from basketball and returned to Duke to earn his law degree.

16) Bobby Hurley, drafted #7 overall in 1993

Arguably no player in the Coach K era more exemplified the Duke ideal – for better or worse – than Hurley. Coach’s son? Check. “Hustle guy:? Check. Annoying to opposing fans? Check. Armed with a keen play making sense, Hurley was Duke’s on-court leader for four seasons, and he still holds the NCAA record for career assists. After Christian Laettner’s departure, Hurley struggled to carry the offense in his senior season and Duke made an early tournament exit. This hardly damaged his draft stock, as Hurley was selected seventh overall by the Kings, the second point guard off the board. Hurley’s rookie season started quietly and ended quickly with a car accident that left him fighting for his life (he wasn’t wearing a seat belt) Hurley managed to fully recover and eventually return to the NBA, but never blossomed into anything beyond a marginal role player.

15) Dick Groat, drafted #3 overall in 1952

This is hardly an indictment of Groat as an overall athlete. An All-American at Duke in basketball and baseball, he subsequently became a two-sport star at the pro level as well. After a rookie season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Groat suited up for the Fort Wayne Pistons, finishing second on the team in scoring as they reached the brink of the NBA Finals. By the way, he was also simultaneously working on his degree at Duke and going through the process of enlisting in the U.S. Army. After the latter led to a brief tour of duty, Groat opted to pursue just a baseball career upon his return and ultimately made eight All-Star appearances. His final stats over his one-and-only NBA season: 11.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. An undistinguished pro career, but Groat is still a basketball legend at Duke, where his #10 jersey was retired after his graduation.

14) Trajan Langdon, drafted #11 overall in 1999

In 1999, Duke became the first school ever to have four players selected in the first round of the NBA Draft. While his teammates Elton Brand (#1 overall), Corey Maggette (#13), and William Avery (#14) exited school as underclassmen, Langdon was not just a senior but already 23 years old due to a redshirt season. A product of Anchorage East High School, the “Alaskan Assassin” led the NCAA in three-point field goals as a senior and set the Duke career and single season records in the category (both since broken). As the Cavaliers soon found out, long distance shooting was unfortunately his only skill applicable at the NBA level. That may have worked in today’s NBA but in the early ’00s, Langdon lasted just three seasons, averaging 5.4 points per game. He did find second life as a superstar in Russia, leading CSKA Moscow to two EuroLeague titles.

13) Shavlik Randolph, un-drafted in 2005

One of the top recruits of the high school class of 2002, Randolph had high expectations when he accepted a scholarship at Duke. Unfortunately, he had a similar size and skill as fellow Blue Devils frosh Shelden Williams, who quickly grasped the starting power forward spot. Randolph averaged just 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in three seasons at Duke before making a surprise early declaration for the 2005 NBA Draft. He wound up signing as an un-drafted free agent with the 76ers and showed some early promise as a role player until breaking his ankle during the ’06-’07 season. He became a plug-and-play journeyman from there, ultimately suiting up for five franchises across eight seasons, averaging 2.3 points and 2.5 rebounds per game. Randolph did at least get to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather Ronnie, who played briefly for the Knicks in the ’50s.

12) Jay Williams, drafted #2 overall in 2002

His placement on this list is partially a testament to the promise shown in his one-and-only NBA season, and partially an indictment of the 11 players ahead of him. One of the most decorated players in Duke history, Williams earned the Wooden and Naismith Awards, was a two-time 1st-Team All-American, and led the Blue Devils to the 2001 title. He was drafted second overall by a decimated Bulls team and expected to step in and contribute immediately as the starting point guard. Williams’ rookie season was bumpy but overall solid, ending with him getting named 2nd-Team All-Rookie. But in his first NBA offseason, Williams made a poor decision, riding his motorcycle without a helmet, crashing, and suffering injuries that required complete knee reconstruction. That was that for Williams’ pro career and he transitioned into a career as a television analyst.

11) William Avery, drafted #14 overall in 1999

In the ’98-’99 season, six of the top eight players in Duke’s rotation were underclassmen. This concept would have seemed nay unthinkable earlier in the decade but proved successful. Duke returned to the Final Four for the first time in five years and Avery was a crucial part of it as their starting point guard. No one was surprised when his fellow sophomore Elton Brand became the first Duke player under Coach Krzyzewski to declare early for the NBA Draft, but Avery’s announcement was a shock. He was certainly a steady hand for the Blue Devils but Avery likely would have benefitted from another year in college. The Timberwolves drafted him and then barely played him, as the undersized Avery (6’2″) averaged just 2.7 points and 1.4 assists per game in three seasons. He spent another decade playing with various European clubs before retiring in 2012.

10) Tate Armstrong, drafted #13 overall in 1977

The ’70s were a dark period for Duke basketball and Armstrong is the rare Blue Devils superstar who never played in an NCAA Tournament. In fact, he never played for a team that even finished with a winning record in the ACC. But he did earn gold with the 1976 U.S. Olympic team, averaged 23.7 points per game as a junior and senior, and in 1977 became the first Duke player drafted in the first round in over a decade. Armstrong joined a Bulls team with a weak backcourt and ample opportunity for playing time but failed to take advantage due largely to injuries. A broken wrist suffered during his senior year at Duke seemed to never really heal and was compounded by a broken ankle suffered early in the ’78-’79 season. After Armstrong averaged 3.8 points per game over two seasons with the Bulls, he was traded to the Spurs, waived, and never played in the NBA again.

9) Kenny Dennard, drafted #78 overall in 1981

A long shot to even make the roster as a fourth round pick, Dennard actually showed some promise in the Kansas City Kings front court rotation as a rookie. But his burgeoning career then ended before it could really get started, with a testicular cancer diagnosis upending Dennard right before the ’82-’83 season. After extensive chemotherapy and surgeries, Dennard did manage to rejoin the team but was never the same, and his career ended after playing just 95 games across three seasons. Prior to that, he was a steady power forward for four eventful seasons with the Blue Devils. Dennard’s freshman season ended with an NCAA Tournament National Final appearance, and his senior season was the coaching debut of Mike Krzyzewski. Following his time in the NBA, Dennard played briefly in Italy before retiring to finish his degree at Duke.

8) Daniel Ewing, drafted #32 overall in 2005

A high school All-American, Ewing (no relation to Patrick) was a top rated prep recruit in 2001 but never quite lived up to his promise at the NCAA or NBA levels. An undersized shooting guard with several good skills but no great ones, Ewing did become a steady presence in the Duke starting lineup for three seasons. He was a major contributor to Duke reaching the Final Four in 2004 but also caught much of the blame when they were upset in the 2005 Regional Semifinals. Expectations were lower for Ewing at the NBA level after the Clippers drafted him in the second round. He basically met them, averaging 3.4 points per game and getting waived after two seasons. Ewing did at least get to be part of a memorable Clippers team, the 12th man in ’05-’06 when they won a playoff series for the first time in 30 years. Ewing has spent the rest of his (still active) pro career abroad.

7) Antonio Lang, drafted #29 overall in 1994

Playing in the shadow of Christian Laettner and Grant Hill, Lang was a longtime starting power forward for Duke and a key part of the ’91-’92 championship team and ’93-’94 Final Four team. At 6’8″, 205 pounds, he didn’t project at any clear position in the NBA and fell to the Suns in the second round. Phoenix actually had intentions of deploying Lang as an oversized shooting guard defensive specialist but soon found he lacked the athleticism for it. He was traded after his rookie season to the Cavaliers and bounced around the league for six years, finishing with career averages of 2.3 points and 1.5 rebounds per game. After winning national titles at the high school and collegiate levels, Lang reached the playoffs in the NBA just once, a first round loss with Cleveland in 1996. He did find success in Japan as both a player and a coach and is currently on Quin Synder’s staff with the Jazz.

6) Nolan Smith, drafted #21 overall in 2011

A basketball lifer, Smith grew up around the game thanks to his father Derek, who passed away when Nolan was eight years old. Derek had been a star for the ’79-’80 Louisville national champs, played nine seasons in the NBA, and spent two years as an assistant coach for the Bullets. That’s when Nolan would attend practices and shoot-arounds, cultivating a basketball pedigree that was perfect for the Coach K era. As the starting shooting guard, Smith helped lead Duke to the 2010 national title and was an All-American in ’10-’11. The Trail Blazers drafted him in the first round but Smith was always a long shot for NBA success, at just 6’2″ and lacking traditional point guard skills. He played two NBA seasons, averaging 3.3 points per game, then moved on to a career in Europe. After retiring as a player, Smith followed in his father’s footsteps again, taking an assistant coaching job at Duke.

5) Dave Henderson, drafted #58 overall in 1986

Co-captain of the ’85-’86 Duke team that was the first under Coach K to reach the Final Four, Henderson actually struggled in that tournament run, taking 65 shots and hitting just 35% of them. Not a good omen for future endeavors. While his co-captain Johnny Dawkins was a lottery pick, Henderson was drafted 48 spots later by the Bullets in the third round. Unable to make Washington’s roster, Henderson spent some time in the CBA before landing with the 76ers, initially on a 10-day contract late in the ’87-’88 season. He actually put together some promising performances over 22 games with a Sixers team decimated by back court injuries, averaging 5.7 points per game. But when Hersey Hawkins got drafted that ensuing summer, Henderson was jettisoned and finished his pro career in Europe. He eventually returned to Duke as an assistant coach for two seasons.

4) Vince Taylor, drafted #34 overall in 1982

One of the final huge recruits of the Bill Foster era, Taylor finished his college career as the leading scorer for Duke, at 20.3 points per game, in Mike Krzyzewski’s second season at the helm. Taylor was drafted in the second round by the Knicks and battled his way into a roster spot as essentially the third string shooting guard. In 31 appearances with New York, Taylor averaged 3.1 points per game, then was traded in that offseason to the Pacers and subsequently cut. He then became one of the early American success stories in European club basketball, spending 13 years in Italy, France, and Belgium. Like so many that played under Krzyzewski, Taylor eventually caught the coaching bug himself, and has been an assistant for several NCAA teams, including Pittsburgh, Louisville, Minnesota, and Texas Tech.

3) Joe Kennedy, drafted #122 overall in 1968

How improbable was it for Kennedy to even make the SuperSonics roster after they selected him in the recesses of the 1968 Draft? At #122 overall in the 10th round, Kennedy had 81 players taken ahead of him who never played a single NBA game, including Sonics selections in the third, fourth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth rounds. Kennedy lasted two seasons in the NBA, then an additional year with the Pittsburgh Condors of the ABA, with career averages 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. Not too shabby for a guy who didn’t even play much at Duke, cracking the starting lineup only as a senior. Though his time at Duke came under Vic Bubas, long before Coach K, Kennedy did get to play under an all-time legend in the NBA, spending his second season coached by Lenny Wilkens in Seattle.

2) Brian Davis, drafted #48 overall in 1992

He never won any individual accolades while at Duke, but Davis received the ultimate compliment from Coach K, who called him the greatest leader on the team, and the heart of soul of their back-to-back titles. No small praise, mind you, as this was in comparison to Grant Hill, Bobby Hurley, and Davis’ best friend Christian Laettner. But as an undersized power forward without shooting touch, Davis didn’t have much to offer NBA teams beyond those leadership skills. The Suns drafted him in the second round in 1992 but he failed to make the roster and instead spent a season with Elan Bearnais in France (where he was teammates with Gheorge Muresan). Davis did eventually reach the NBA in the ’93-’94 season, reuniting with Laettner. The pair are still friends and now business partners, finding themselves in recent trouble over allegedly misappropriating funds for a development program.

1) Martin Nessley, drafted #116 overall in 1987

He made almost no impact in his four seasons at Duke, averaging 2.4 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while missing significant time due to a lingering knee injury. But Nessley was a seven footer and this was the NBA in 1987. If we paused here and asked you to guess who wasted a sixth round pick on Nessley, you would have been correct. It was the Clippers. Now, throwing away a #116 overall pick was not a big deal at the time but the Clippers then doubled down and wasted a roster spot on Nessley. He averaged 1.2 points and 2.1 rebounds per game for the Clippers, was cut halfway through the season, then signed a 10-day contract with the Kings and played even less in nine more games. That was that for Nessley, who bypassed a potential career in Europe to instead retire and return to Durham, North Carolina, where he opened and managed a series of restaurants.