A former NBA coach is joining Jon Scheyer’s Duke basketball staff. Here’s who
After seeing Jai Lucas leave his staff in March to become the Miami Hurricanes head coach, Duke’s Jon Scheyer turned to the NBA to find a replacement.
Evan Bradds is leaving the Utah Jazz coaching staff to become an assistant coach for the Blue Devils.
The 31-year-old Bradds played college basketball at Belmont and also worked in the Boston Celtics organization before joining the Jazz in 2022.
“I am honored to be joining the Duke basketball program and want to express my immense gratitude to coach Scheyer for this opportunity,” Bradds said in a statement. “I am looking forward to working alongside coach Scheyer and the Duke team to help continue the long-standing tradition that is Duke basketball.”
Bradds joins associate head coach Chris Carrawell and assistant coaches Emanuel Dildy and Will Avery on Duke’s coaching staff under Scheyer.
“I’m excited to welcome Evan and his wife, MacKenzie, to Durham,” Scheyer said in a statement. “Evan brings an unbelievable basketball mind, NBA player development experience and a unique ability to build meaningful relationships with players—something that’s core to our culture. His experience, vision and forward-thinking approach will help keep Duke at the forefront of college basketball. We’re excited for what’s ahead.”
A two-time Ohio Valley Conference player of the year during his Belmont career from 2013-17, Bradds finished his career with 1,921 points. That’s the most in the school’s Division I era.
He worked in the Celtics organization for four years, including as an assistant coach and video coordinator for the Celtics’ G League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, and on the Celtics’ player enhancement staff.
Bradds arrives to fill the opening created when Lucas, who joined Scheyer’s staff in 2022, left to become Miami’s head coach in March. Lucas departed the Duke staff after the regular season, leaving the Blue Devils a coach short during the postseason when they won the ACC Tournament and made the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four.
This story was originally published May 1, 2025 at 3:21 PM.