Celtics hire former Duke and Friends’ Central star Amile Jefferson as an assistant coach
The Philadelphia native, 30, is considered a "rising star in the coaching profession," and joins the Celtics after serving as an assistant at Duke.
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Philadelphia native Amile Jefferson can now add NBA coach to his quickly growing resumé.
The Boston Celtics have hired Jefferson as an assistant coach under Joe Mazzula, his alma mater Duke announced Thursday. Jefferson, a former star at Friends’ Central, spent last season as an assistant at Duke, and previously served for a season as the Blue Devils’ director of player development. Just 30, Jefferson has climbed the coaching ladder quickly after retiring from pro ball in 2021.
“Amile is a rising star in the coaching profession and I’m so excited and proud of him for earning this opportunity with one of the NBA’s iconic franchises,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said in a statement. “The Celtics are getting a winner — one of the hardest working, most passionate, positive and dedicated people I know. He is a tremendous teacher of the game and his ability to connect with players is innate. I can’t thank Amile enough for all he’s meant to me and our program.”
As a player, Jefferson was a two-time All-G League performer and played 30 NBA games for the Orlando Magic from 2018-20. He also spent a season with the Turkish team Galatasaray. The former forward is best known for his time playing at Duke, where he was a three-year captain and won a national championship playing for Mike Krzyzewski in 2014-15.
Before Duke, he was a star at Friends’ Central, where he led the Phoenix to a 98-14 record and four Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament titles during his time there. He was named a McDonald’s All-American as a senior after averaging 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. Jefferson was also named the Pennsylvania Gatorade player of the year twice.
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With the Celtics, Jefferson will be reunited with former Duke teammate and close friend Jayson Tatum. Jefferson is just the latest coaching addition for Boston, which came up a game short of the NBA Finals last season. The Celtics have already hired former Sixers assistant Sam Cassell and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Charles Lee to aid second-year coach Mazzulla on the bench.
“This opportunity with the Boston Celtics was something that felt like the right next step in my journey,” Jefferson said in a statement. “The Celtics are one of the most elite professional franchises in sports. I’m honored to be able to learn from everyone in this organization.”