After a long wait, the 2026-27 NBA season tipped off Tuesday night, with a triple-header. These contests included two of Duke's most beloved alumni, Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Oklahoma City Thunder sharpshooter Jared McCain. Against the Detroit Pistons, Tatum didn't fare too well in his season opener, as the former Blue Devil was held to 13 points on 6-for-23 shooting, including 0-for-7 from downtown. However, the former NBA champion added four rebounds and 11 assists to make it a double-double.
As for McCain, he picked up right where he left off in last year's playoffs. McCain, who continues to prove himself as one of the best bench scorers in the entire NBA, added 20 points off the bench on 7-for-9 shooting including 6-for-8 from
3-point range to go along with two rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Recent second overall pick Maliq Brown was able to make his NBA debut with the San Antonio Spurs. That said, the former ACC Defensive Player of the Year Award winner didn't record a single stat, playing for just one minute.
Now with the NBA back in full swing, many more Duke notables will take the court Wednesday, including Cameron Boozer, Cooper Flagg, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero and Jalen Johnson. Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel will not play, as he remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Jared McCain leads Duke alumni on NBA opening night
