Amid injury woes and a tournament run, Duke's coaching staff faces a seismic shift as an assistant departs for a head coaching opportunity.
With a 74-70 win over Virginia in the ACC Tournament final on Saturday, Duke was rewarded with the No. 1 overall seed for the NCAA Tournament.
The Blue Devils overcame having to play a seven-man rotation in the conference tournament after losing point guard Caleb Foster to a fractured right foot and center Patrick Ngongba II to a foot issue.
Foster is not expected to return to the court until at least the Final Four, if he returns at all. Ngongba is day-to-day with his injury but not expected to play in Duke's first round game against Siena on Thursday.
The coaching staff has a lot of work to do to help the team advance until Ngongba can return. Amid those challenges, assistant coach Evan Bradds accepted the head coaching job at Belmont.
It will be Bradds' first opportunity to be a head coach.
"Becoming the next head coach at Belmont – a university and program that has played such a huge role in my life – is truly surreal," Bradds said, via Belmont.
"Belmont is a special place, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to return and lead our men's basketball program... It means the world to me and my family, and we can't wait to get started. Go Bruins!"
Bradds played college basketball at Belmont from 2013 to 2017. He was an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz before joining Duke in 2025.
Bruins athletic director Scott Corley is excited to bring a former player back to the program as a head coach.
"Few student-athletes in the history of our University achieved more, and led more, than Evan," Corley said. "In trading his playing jersey for a clipboard, Evan has established himself as a rising star in the coaching community; universally regarded as one of the brightest minds in the game today.
"His clear communication style and undeniable care for his players is well-documented. But above all else, Evan is a fierce competitor with an unwavering desire to win championships."
Belmont is getting a piece of the brain trust at Duke. It'll be a huge loss for the Blue Devils in the offseason.
Still, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has a built a strong program and he should be able to land another top assistant coach before the 2026-27 season.