Ranking all 36 Duke basketball jersey numbers ever worn

Judging jersey No. 31 by the Duke basketball players who wore it

In reverse chronological order (best in bold):

• Shane Battier
• Justin Caldbeck
• Stan Brunson
• Kevin Strickland
• Mike Tissaw
• Randy Denton
• Tim Kolodziej
• Hack Tison
• Doug Albright
• Hayes Clement
• Bill Reigel
• Bill Fleming
• Jack Lasseter

Retired or not (worth 100 points if so): Retired for Battier

NCAA Tournament titles (worth 10 points each): Battier in 2001

Final Four appearances (five points each): Battier in 2001, Battier in 1999, Brunson in 1994, Strickland in 1988, Strickland in 1986, Kolodziej in 1966, Tison in 1964, Tison in 1963

ACC or Southern Tournament trophies (five points each): Battier in 2001, Battier in 2000, Battier in 1999, Strickland in 1988, Strickland in 1986, Tissaw in 1980, Kolodziej in 1966, Tison in 1964, Tison in 1963, Albright in 1960

Naismith Player of the Year awards (50 points each): Battier in 2001

NABC Defensive Player of the Year winners (four points each): Battier in 2001, Battier in 2000, Battier in 1999

Consensus All-American selections (four points each): Battier in 2001, Battier in 2000

ACC or Southern Player of the Year crowns (four points each): Battier in 2001

All-ACC or All-Southern honors (two points each): Battier in 2001, Battier in 2000, Battier in 1999, Denton in 1971, Denton in 1970, Denton in 1969

First-round draft picks (two points each): Battier

Members of 1,000-point club (two points each): Battier, Strickland, Denton

Players who averaged less than five points (subtract five points each): Caldbeck, Brunson, Tissaw, Albright, Lasseter

Number of players (one point each): 13

TOTAL SCORE = 282

Thanks to all the winning and defending of Shane Battier in addition to several Blue Devil weapons across a host of successful teams in the 60s and 80s, good old No. 31 is the greatest Duke basketball jersey number of all time…or so says this formula, anyway.

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