The Boston Celtics are making another addition to head coach Joe Mazzulla's staff for the 2023-24 NBA season, and it's one of their former players.
Amile Jefferson is finalizing a contract to join the Celtics' coaching staff, per Travis Branham of 24/7 Sports.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Since being eliminated by the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics have reportedly added 76ers assistant Sam Cassell, Bucks assistant Charles Lee and former player Phil Pressey to their coaching staff. Jefferson makes it four new hires in less than a month.
Jefferson played with Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum at Duke during the 2016-17 season. It was Jefferson's last of five seasons with the Blue Devils. He went undrafted in 2017 but did play in 20 games for the Orlando Magic over the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. The Celtics signed Jefferson on Dec. 4, 2020 but waived him two weeks later. A week before the Celtics signed Jefferson, Tatum went on Twitter and wrote "Sign him!!" Tatum and Jefferson are, by all accounts, close friends.
Unfortunately for Jefferson, injuries prevented him from realizing his potential in the NBA. He went back to Duke to become its director of player development in July of 2021. He was an assistant coach on the Blue Devils' staff last season.
Now he's getting his first opportunity to coach in the NBA.