Duke University is a world-renowned institution that holds incredible weight in both academics and athletics. The school is mainly known for its world-class education and prominent basketball team. The basketball team at Duke has had tremendous success under coach Mike Krzyzewski. Over the past four decades, the program has grown into one of the best and most well-known powerhouses in the country. With 13 Final Fours, 15 ACC championships, and 5 national championships, the program under Coach K has been virtually unstoppable. However, with such success, many college hoops fans despise the Blue Devils.
Among the hatred for the team, there is also a hatred for Duke’s white players. Duke has had many great white players over the years, but there is a trio of white players that are hated the most: Grayson Allen (2014-2018), Christian Laettner (1988-92), and JJ Redick (2002-2006). The trio remains disliked among many fans across America, despite not having played at Duke for many years. In a sport largely dominated by African Americans, these white players were in the minority. The outcasts seemed to stand for something larger than basketball.
In this essay, we focus on four reasons for the hatred towards white Duke basketball players. The first section discusses Duke’s prestige and the stereotypes that it entails. The second section examines the immense success of Duke basketball in the Coach K era, with many fans rooting for the underdog against Duke. The third section highlights the numerous controversies surrounding Christian Laettner, Grayson Allen, and JJ Redick that resulted in the players receiving negative national media attention. The fourth section explores the contrast of Duke basketball’s traditional style with Michigan and UNLV’s modern, more Afrocentric styles.