​  1 / 12Jan 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) dunks in front of Louisville Cardinals center Aly Khalifa (15) during the second half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images(Rob Kinnan, Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images)Duke basketball’s Maliq Brown was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 44 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday, June 24.Brown is the third Blue Devil taken in this year’s draft behind Cameron Boozer and Isaiah Evans. He also became the 119th all-time Duke player to be selected in the draft and the 12th to have played under coach Jon Scheyer.Brown began his college career at Syracuse before transferring to Duke ahead of the 2024-25 season. Through his 125 career games, he amassed 722 points, 655 rebounds, 198 steals, 186 assists and 77 blocked shots.The 2025-26 season saw Brown average 4.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals across 20.2 minutes per game while shooting 62.9% from the field. He saw time in each of Duke’s 38 contests with 10 starts, eight coming late in the season for a then-injured Patrick Ngongba II. His 68 steals and field goal percentage led the Blue Devils as the Culpeper, Virginia, native went on to be named ACC Defensive Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year.He also took home the Lefty Driesell Award following the 2025-26 season, awarded to the top defensive player in Division I college basketball.Here’s what Brown brings to the NBA:DUKE BASKETBALL: Duke basketball expands coaching staff with KJ Conklin, Alexander PowellDUKE BASKETBALL: Duke basketball adds Washington State to 2026-27 non-conference slateBrown’s strength comes on the defensive end of the floor, where he established himself as one of the top defenders in college basketball across the last two seasons. The 6-foot-8, 217-pound forward brings elite versatility, with the ability to guard multiple positions, protect the rim and consistently generate pressure and turnovers. He finished with a career-high five steals three times during his Duke career and finished with multiple steals across more than 50 career games.While Brown isn’t a high-volume scorer, he is an elite passer, playmaker and screener. His energy and ability to create havoc defensively translate into extra possessions and transition opportunities, making him a strong connective piece who impacts winning beyond the box score.Anna Snyder covers Duke for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at asnyder@usatodayco.com or follow her @annaesnydr on X, formerly known as Twitter. This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Here’s what Duke basketball’s Maliq Brown brings to San Antonio Spurs      ​Read More