Jayson Tatum Joins Duke Men's Basketball Staff While Rehabbing Achilles Injury

Tatum will join forces with coach Jon Scheyer this upcoming college basketball season.

Jayson Tatum will join the Duke men's basketball staff as a Chief Basketball Officer. / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

There's a good chance Jayson Tatum will miss the entire 2025-26 NBA season after he tore his Achilles tendon during the playoffs this summer. He's been recovering from the injury and surgery for months now, but it seems like he's found another basketball role to keep him busy while rehabbing.

Duke men's basketball announced on Tuesday that the former Blue Devils star is joining the staff this upcoming season with a new role: chief basketball officer. Tatum will appear as an advisor to coach Jon Scheyer and the Duke roster to help bring his professional basketball expertise into the locker room.

"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," the job description reads. "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."

Excited to welcome a 6x NBA All-Star to the staff!!

🤝 CBO @jaytatum0 pic.twitter.com/HF4midmiqO

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) October 7, 2025

It'll be helpful for the Blue Devils to hear Tatum's experiences and perspectives on basketball as he's gone on to be an NBA champion and six-time All-Star since leaving Duke in 2017.

Tatum hasn't shut the door in regards to possibly returning to the court this upcoming NBA season. He has a long road ahead of him, but it's good he'll put his basketball knowledge to good use even if he isn't competing on the court.

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