NBA Opening Night 2025-26
Duke, UNC, Virginia, Florida State, Stanford Lead
Massive Parade Of NBA Players From ACC Schools
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated Oct. 21, 2025)
On the opening night of the 2025-26 National Basketball Association regular season, Duke — with 24 of its former players available for NBA duty — leads a massive parade of more than 80 top-level professionals who played collegiately for current members of the 18-team Atlantic Coast Conference.
The NBA officially launches its new campaign with a Tuesday night doubleheader, as Oklahoma City (the 2024-25 league champion) hosts Houston (7:30 p.m., NBC/Peacock) and the Los Angeles Lakers host Golden State (10 p.m., NBC/Peacock).
The Blue Devils’ massive contingent is led by Boston forward Jayson Tatum, a ninth-year veteran and six-time NBA All-Star, and Dallas point guard Kyrie Irving, a 15th-year veteran and nine-time NBA All-Star.
Each player already has been an NBA champion — Tatum in 2024 with the Celtics, Irving in 2016 with Cleveland. Tatum, who is recovering from an Achilles tendon tear he suffered in May, isn’t expected to play again until after the calendar turns to 2026.
Duke’s crew now also includes five NBA rookies: first-round draft picks Cooper Flagg (first/Dallas), Kon Knueppel (fourth/Charlotte) and Khaman Maluach (10th/Phoenix), plus second-round selections Sion James (33rd/Charlotte) and Tyrese Proctor (49th/Cleveland).
North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State and Stanford also have a half-dozen or more former players in the 30-team NBA.
Each NBA team’s roster typically includes 15 top-level contracts and three two-way contracts, with the latter players often shuttled back and forth to a franchise’s G League squad. A maximum of 15 players can be active for each team in a regular-season NBA game.
Here are this year’s totals for each current ACC program.
ACC School — 2025-26 NBA Roster Players
24—Duke
11—North Carolina
7—Virginia
6—Florida State, Stanford
5—Wake Forest
4—Clemson, Pittsburgh
3—Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami
2—California, Notre Dame, Virginia Tech
1—Boston College, NC State, Syracuse
0—SMU
The comprehensive list below includes all NBA players who had any playing time at one or more of the 18 ACC current basketball programs, regardless of where he finished his college career. In rare cases, a player is listed twice, because he played at two ACC schools.
The list below also notes products of current ACC programs who were on NBA rosters during the 2024-25 season but (as of Tuesday) were not on an 18-man roster on opening night this season.
In addition, a handful of prominent NBA players with ties to the state of North Carolina (e.g., played college and/or high school basketball here) are listed at the bottom of the ACC list.
Duke (24)
Player, Pos., NBA Team
Grayson Allen, G, Phoenix Suns
Marvin Bagley III, F, Washington Wizards
Paolo Banchero, F, Orlando Magic
RJ Barrett, F, Toronto Raptors
Wendell Carter Jr., C, Orlando Magic
Kyle Filipowski, F, Utah Jazz
Cooper Flagg, F, Dallas Mavericks (R)
Brandon Ingram, F, Toronto Raptors
Kyrie Irving, G, Dallas Mavericks
Sion James*, G, Charlotte Hornets (R)
Jalen Johnson, F, Atlanta Hawks
Tre Jones, G, Chicago Bulls
Tyus Jones, G, Orlando Magic
Luke Kennard, G, Atlanta Hawks
Kon Knueppel, G/F, Charlotte Hornets (R)
Dereck Lively II, C, Dallas Mavericks
Khaman Maluach, C, Phoenix Suns (R)
Jared McCain, G, Philadelphia 76ers
Mason Plumlee, F/C, Charlotte Hornets
Tyrese Proctor, G, Cleveland Cavaliers (R)
Jayson Tatum, F, Boston Celtics
Gary Trent Jr., G, Milwaukee Bucks
Mark Williams, C, Phoenix Suns
Zion Williamson, F, New Orleans Pelicans
Others from 2024-25: Seth Curry* (expected to sign with Golden State during 2025-26 season), Wendell Moore Jr. (TBD), Jahlil Okafor (Japan), Cam Reddish (Lithuania), Dariq Whitehead (TBD)
North Carolina (11)
Cole Anthony, G, Milwaukee Bucks
Harrison Barnes, F, San Antonio Spurs
Tony Bradley, C/F, Indiana Pacers
Harrison Ingram*, F, San Antonio Spurs (two-way)
Cameron Johnson*, F, Denver Nuggets
Walker Kessler*, C, Utah Jazz
Caleb Love*, G, Portland Trail Blazers (R) (two-way)
Pete Nance*, F, Milwaukee Bucks (two-way)
Drake Powell, G/F, Brooklyn Nets (R)
Day’Ron Sharpe, C, Brooklyn Nets
Coby White, G, Chicago Bulls
Virginia (7)
Ryan Dunn, F, Phoenix Suns
Anthony Gill*, F, Washington Wizards
Sam Hauser*, F, Boston Celtics
Jay Huff, C, Indiana Pacers
De’Andre Hunter, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Ty Jerome, G/F, Memphis Grizzlies
Trey Murphy III*, F, New Orleans Pelicans
Others from 2024-25: Reece Beekman (TBD), Malcolm Brogdon (retired), Braxton Key* (TBD)
Florida State (6)
Scottie Barnes, F, Toronto Raptors
Jonathan Issac, F, Orlando Magic
Terance Mann, G/F, Brooklyn Nets
Devin Vassell, G/F, San Antonio Spurs
Jamir Watkins, F, Washington Wizards (R) (two-way)
Patrick Williams, F, Chicago Bulls
Others from 2024-25: Malik Beasley (TBD)
Stanford (6)
Harrison Ingram*, F, San Antonio Spurs (two-way)
Spencer Jones, F, Denver Nuggets (two-way)
Brook Lopez, C, Los Angeles Clippers
Dwight Powell, F/C, Dallas Mavericks
Maxime Raynaud, C, Sacramento Kings (R)
Ziaire Williams Jr., F, Brooklyn Nets
Wake Forest (5)
John Collins, F, Los Angeles Clippers
Bobi Klintman, F, Detroit Pistons
Jake LaRavia*, F, Los Angeles Lakers
Chris Paul, G, Los Angeles Clippers
Hunter Sallis*, G, Philadelphia 76ers (R) (two-way)
Others from 2024-25: James Johnson (TBD), Alondes Williams* (TBD)
Clemson (4)
PJ Hall, C, Memphis Grizzlies (two-way)
Trey Jemison*, New York Knicks (R) (two-way)
Olivier-Maxence Prosper*, F, Memphis Grizzlies (two-way)
Hunter Tyson, F, Denver Nuggets
Pittsburgh (4)
Steven Adams, C, Houston Rockets
Carlton “Bub” Carrington, G, Washington Wizards
Justin Champagnie, G/F, Washington Wizards
Cameron Johnson*, F, Denver Nuggets
Georgia Tech (3)
Jose Alvarado, G, New Orleans Pelicans
Miles Kelly*, G, Dallas Mavericks (R) (two-way)
Josh Okogie, G, Houston Rockets
Louisville (3)
Chucky Hepburn, G, Toronto Raptors (R) (two-way)
Donovan Mitchell, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
Terry Rozier, G, Miami Heat
Others from 2024-25: Damion Lee* (Israel)
Miami (3)
Bruce Brown, G/F, Denver Nuggets
Kyshawn George, F, Washington Wizards
Jordan Miller*, G, Los Angeles Clippers
Others from 2024-25: Lonnie Walker IV (Israel), Isaiah Wong (Spain)
California (2)
Jaylen Brown, G/F, Boston Celtics
Jaylon Tyson, G/F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Notre Dame (2)
Pat Connaughton, G, Charlotte Hornets
Blake Wesley, G, Portland Trail Blazers
Others from 2024-25: Matt Ryan* (TBD)
Virginia Tech (2)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Atlanta Hawks
Dorian Finney-Smith*, F, Houston Rockets
Boston College (1)
Quinten Post*, C, Golden State Warriors
Others from 2024-25: Reggie Jackson (TBD)
NC State (1)
Caleb Martin*, F, Dallas Mavericks
Others from 2024-25: Cody Martin* (TBD)
Syracuse (1)
Jerami Grant, F, Portland Trail Blazers
Others from 2024-25: Oshae Brissett (Israel), Jesse Edwards* (Australia), Cole Swider* (Turkey)
SMU (0)
none
Others from 2023-24: Shake Milton (Serbia)
*—played for multiple colleges
(R)—NBA rookie in 2025-26
Others With North Carolina Ties
Bam Adebayo, C, Miami Heat (High Point Christian Academy/Kentucky)
Steph Curry, G, Golden State Warriors (Charlotte Christian School/Davidson)
CJ Huntley, F, Phoenix Suns (two-way) (Davidson Day School/Appalachian State)
Others from 2024-25: Tristen Newton (East Carolina/UConn/TBD), PJ Tucker (Raleigh Enloe HS/Texas/TBD)
