Per Duke Sports Information:
CHICAGO, ILL. – Former Duke men’s basketball stars Brandon Ingram and Jayson Tatum have been selected to the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, while RJ Barrett, Wendell Carter Jr. and Zion Williamson have been named to the NBA Rising Stars Game.
Both first-time selections, Ingram and Tatum become the ninth and 10th former Blue Devils to participate in the event. Duke has earned 26 all-time NBA All-Star selections since 1969. The game is Sunday, Feb. 16 at 8 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago and airs live on TNT.
In his fourth NBA season and first with the New Orleans Pelicans, Ingram has had a breakout campaign, averaging 25.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest – all career highs. The former second overall pick in the 2016 draft is currently 13th in the NBA in scoring average.
Tatum is enjoying a strong third season in the league with the third-place Boston Celtics. The third overall pick in the 2017 draft, Tatum is averaging 21.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game in 43 contests. He is also shooting .436 from the field and .841 from the free-throw line. Tatum took part in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge the last two seasons.
Duke has had at least one NBA All-Star in four consecutive years, in eight of the last nine years and in 11 of the last 15. With Marques Bolden recently earning a 10-day contract form the Cleveland Cavaliers, Duke now has 25 players on active NBA rosters, tying the record the Blue Devils set last season for the most by any ACC school in a single season in the history of the NBA.
Tatum and Ingram join former Duke players Kyrie Irving (2013-15, 2017-19), Luol Deng (2012-13), Carlos Boozer (2007-08), Elton Brand (2002, 2006), Christian Laettner (1997), Grant Hill (1995-98, 2000, 2005), Jack Marin (1972-73) and Jeff Mullins (1969-71) as players selected to the All-Star game.
Additionally, three former Blue Devils – Barrett, Carter Jr., and Williamson – have been selected to the 2020 MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars Team. The game is Friday, Feb. 14 at 9 p.m. ET at the United Center and also airs live on TNT.
Barrett, the third overall pick by the New York Knicks in last June’s draft, is averaging 14.1 points, 5.2 boards and 2.5 assists through 41 games. His scoring average ranks third among all NBA rookies (minimum 25 games), while his rebounds are fourth.
Carter has played in 37 games for the Chicago Bulls this season, and is averaging 11.7 points on .537 shooting to go with 9.9 rebounds – which ranks 12th in the NBA. Williamson spent the first three months of the season recovering from a knee injury and made his NBA debut with the Pelicans on Jan. 22, when he netted 22 points including 17 consecutive in the fourth quarter. Through four games, the 2019 first-overall pick is averaging 18.0 points and 8.3 rebounds.
The trio make it 14 former Duke players to appear in the Rising Stars game. In the last five years, 12 Blue Devils have participated, while the rest of the ACC has combined for 10 players in the game.
