Jayson Tatum isn’t expected to take the court for the Boston Celtics early in the 2025-26 NBA season after rupturing his Achilles in the playoffs. Despite that, Tatum might be busier than ever when the season begins.
In addition to being the star player on the Celtics, Tatum will also serve as the Chief Basketball Officer for Duke, his alma mater, during the college basketball season. Duke confirmed Tatum’s role Tuesday.
Duke created the position just for Tatum. His responsibilities will include sharing his basketball knowledge with Duke coach Jon Scheyer and players on the team. Tatum is expected to provide “guidance on basketball development, leadership and life as a successful athlete.”
Essentially, Tatum will act as a consultant with the program. It doesn’t sound like it will be a heavy workload for the six-time NBA All-Star. That’s a good thing, as Tatum will be extremely busy rehabbing from last season’s injury.
[Get more Blue Devils men’s hoops news: Duke team feed]
Tatum spent just one season at Duke before making the leap to the NBA. In his only year in college, Tatum averaged 16.8 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Blue Devils. He helped Duke reach the second round of the NCAA tournament, where the team was upset by South Carolina.
Tatum showed enough promise as a freshman to put himself on the NBA Draft radar. He didn’t last long at the event, going No. 3 overall to the Celtics.
After a modest first two seasons in the NBA, Tatum exploded onto the scene with a breakout 2019-20 season. He’s been one of the best players in the NBA since then.
Tatum’s excellence is temporarily on hold as he recovers from the Achilles injury suffered in the playoffs. The injury doomed the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals, where the team lost to the New York Knicks in six games.
Tatum’s recovery has reportedly gone well, and the star forward refuses to rule himself out for the 2025-26 NBA season. Even without Tatum, the Celtics are expected to be a contender in the Eastern Conference. If the team can tread water by the time Tatum is able to come back, the Celtics could suddenly find themselves at full strength when it matters most.
Read the full article here