5 Duke basketball players the rivals loved to hate the most

No. 3 Duke basketball player the rivals loved to hate the most: JJ Redick

2006 NBA Draft: Round 1, Pick 11

Orlando Magic, 2006–2013
Milwaukee Bucks, 2013
Los Angeles Clippers, 2013–2017
Philadelphia 76ers, 2017–2019
New Orleans Pelicans, 2019–2021
Dallas Mavericks, 2021

JJ Redick hit so many heartbreaking heaves from beyond the arc that the entire ACC would probably rather not even hear his name. Redick broke the NCAA record for three-point field goals made (457) and shot a blistering 40.4% from 3-point range in over eight attempts per game — a record that stood for eight years before being broken on February 2, 2014, by Oakland University’s Travis Bader. Redick did what he did in the ACC though, not the Horizon League.

Clay Travis, then of CBS Sports, called Redick “the most hated current athlete in America” while he was balling out in Durham. Oftentimes, Redick was the player opposing fanbases would focus on tormenting when the Blue Devils were in their city.

It didn’t work, though.

Redick was a 2x Rupp Trophy winner, 2x ACC Player of the Year, 2x All-American, and was named the National college player of the year his senior season. Playing Redick meant you were going to waste energy trying to make a sniper miss his target as you watched an undersized wing destroy your team from the perimeter.