Chalien Dantes/Contributor

American basketball power forward Jayson Tatum won’t be suiting up for the Boston Celtics anytime soon, but the All-Star forward has found another way to stay in the game. 

While recovering from an Achilles injury, Tatum is heading back to his roots this time not as a player, but as Duke University’s first-ever chief basketball officer.

Duke announced the move on Tuesday (October 7), revealing that Tatum is officially joining the program in a role that blends mentorship, strategy, and behind-the-scenes influence. Though he’s still focused on his rehab and NBA career, this gig looks more like a part-time advisory role than a full-fledged staff position.

Tatum will work closely with Duke head coach Jon Scheyer, his former coach and longtime friend. The two go way back, all the way to Tatum’s lone season at Duke, where Scheyer was an assistant coach. Fast forward nearly a decade, and while Tatum’s been busy stacking All-Star nods and winning a title in Boston, Scheyer has taken over the Blue Devils’ bench.

Now they’re teaming up again, this time with Tatum offering insights from his NBA journey. He’ll check in with players over Zoom, help the staff navigate roster decisions, and offer advice on everything from developing a scoring mindset to managing off-court pressures. Branding, navigating college life, and preparing for the pros are all on the agenda.

Tatum has always stayed connected to Duke, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s been doing some of this informally for years. The new title just makes it official. He may even call on fellow Duke alums like Paolo Banchero and Cooper Flagg to help prep the next generation of Blue Devils for life in the league.

For now, though, Tatum’s main focus is getting healthy. His season was cut short in May after suffering a torn Achilles, and while the court is off limits for now, his presence shows he’s still finding ways to make an impact in basketball even from the sidelines.