The NBA season is just around the corner, and for most of the 2025 campaign, the Boston Celtics will be without superstar forward Jayson Tatum, who tore his Achilles during the second round of last season’s playoffs against the New York Knicks.
However, Tatum has made it clear that he hasn’t decided to sit out the entire season, leaving the door open for a potential return. Some reports suggest he could be back as early as March, which would come shortly after the NBA trade deadline.
Still, the reality remains that the Celtics will have to move forward without their franchise player for the foreseeable future. While Tatum continues to rehab six days a week — as he mentioned on ESPN’s “First Take” a few weeks ago — he’s also keeping busy off the court.
On Tuesday, Duke basketball announced that Tatum, who attended the university for one season in 2016-17, will serve as the program’s new Chief Basketball Officer.
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“The Chief Basketball Officer will serve as a special advisor to the head coach, bringing a wealth of professional basketball experience and championship-level insight to Duke Men’s Basketball and Head Coach Jon Scheyer,” Duke announced. “In this role, Jayson will leverage his career success to provide perspective and guidance on basketball development, leadership, and life as a successful athlete—leaning on the lessons he first learned here at Duke.”
Tatum has always maintained a close relationship with Scheyer and the Duke program, despite spending just one season there before declaring for the NBA draft.
Tatum spoke to the Duke team following the announcement and ahead of the upcoming college basketball season, which features several new and talented faces on the Blue Devils’ roster.
“We always talk about the brotherhood and how special it is,” Tatum said. “I remember being in college, and the cool thing about this program is that everybody who came before me—even if I never met them—genuinely wanted me to be the best version of myself. I think that’s very special.
“I want the best for all of you guys, and that’s part of why we made this relationship official. For me, it’s about getting to know you guys better. I know I already have a good relationship with some of you, but I want to make it even stronger. I genuinely want the best for you.”
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