As fans await the 2026-27 season this fall, Bleacher Report recently ranked the top players by age, and their list included a handful of former Duke Blue Devils.
Beginning with the youngest player on the list, Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg was named the league's best player at age 19. He proved why last season, winning the Rookie of the Year Award while averaging 21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks.
As a bit of a surprise selection, Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel was named the best 21-year-old in the league, besting San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle. Although he fell short of winning last year's Rookie of the Year Award, Knueppel made history, leading the league in 3-pointers made. Throughout the year,
he averaged 18.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 0.7 steals while shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc.
Despite missing the entirety of the 2025-26 season due to injury, Kyrie Irving was named as the best 34-year-old. A former NBA champion with the Cleveland Cavaliers and a nine-time All-Star, Irving appears destined for the Hall of Fame. For his career, the former No. 1 overall pick has averaged 23.7 points, 4.1 rebounds, 5.6 assists and 1.3 steals.
Of all players listed, Paolo Banchero may be the most notable snub, as Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson was named as the best 23-year-old player. As for other stars from Duke like Jayson Tatum (28), Zion Williamson (26) and Jalen Johnson (24), they were blocked by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28), Tyrese Haliburton (26) and Cade Cunningham (24).
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Three Duke alumni receive unique distinction ahead of 2026-27 NBA season
