This week, basketball analyst Jeff Goodman broke the news that Duke basketball has a new face on its coaching staff, Evan Bradds, who has been brought on as an assistant coach under head coach Jon Scheyer.
Bradds is a former college standout with deep NBA experience, and he comes from a family with a rich basketball legacy. So, who exactly is Evan Bradds, and what can Duke fans expect from him?
Who is Evan Bradds, Duke’s New Assistant Coach?
Evan Bradds was born in Jamestown, Ohio, on April 19, 1994, into a family with a huge basketball identity.
Duke has hired Evan Bradds as an assistant coach.
Bradds was an assistant coach with the Utah Jazz, where he was hired in 2022.
Before joining the Jazz, Bradds spent four years with the Boston Celtics. He began as an assistant coach and video coordinator for the Maine Red…
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) May 1, 2025
Gary Bradds, his late grandfather, was a legend in his own right. In the early 1960s, he played at Ohio State, earning All-American honors and leading the Buckeyes to the 1960 NCAA Championship. He still holds the Ohio State record for most points in a game, scoring 49 against Illinois in 1964.
Bradds played his college basketball at Belmont in Nashville, Tennessee, from 2013 to 2017. Standing at 6’7”, he was a versatile forward with great scoring and rebounding skills. His sophomore year marked a breakout: he stepped into the starting lineup for the Bruins, averaging 14.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
In November 2017, having hung up his sneakers, he joined the coaching staff of the Maine Red Claws, the NBA G League affiliate of the Boston Celtics, starting as an assistant coach and video coordinator. His time in Maine was a perfect avenue for him to prove himself; he showed a passion for player development, a skill that defines his coaching career.
Fast-forward to 2019, and he had caught the attention of the Celtics’ front office. He spent two seasons as a video assistant with the NBA team.
In September 2021, he got promoted to the position of assistant coach and player enhancement staff, a role that put him directly on the Celtics’ bench during a time when the team was making deep playoff runs, including a trip to the 2022 NBA Finals. He worked under head coach Ime Udoka.
In 2022, Bradds took on a new challenge, joining the Utah Jazz as an assistant coach. The Jazz were in a transitional phase, rebuilding after trading Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, two great stars. He spent three seasons in Utah, working under head coach Will Hardy and focusing on player development, before joining New Duke as an assistant coach.
The Blue Devils are now preparing for the 2025-2026 season. Bradds will be on the sideline, ready to help shape the next generation of Duke stars, and maybe in a way, will write the next chapter of his family’s basketball legacy.
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