Less than a year after graduating from Belmont, former men’s basketball player Evan Bradds got the opportunity to work as an assistant coach for the Boston Celtics during the team’s 2018 NBA playoff run.
Bradds was hired as an assistant coach of the Celtics G League team the Maine Red Claws shortly after he graduated from Belmont in 2017.
After the Red Claws’ season ended, Bradds was heading to Ohio for a wedding when Celtics head coach Brad Stevens called him.
“When I got the call, I was caught off guard and had no idea that it was coming,” said Bradds. “I couldn’t say no.”
Before he received the coaching position with the Red Claws, Bradds tore his ACL in a tryout with the Indiana Pacers.
“After getting hurt it was tough. I always knew I wanted to coach, I just didn’t think it would come this soon,” he said.
While at Belmont, Bradds won Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year after his stellar junior and senior years. He currently is the points leader in school NCAA-era history with 1,921 points.
He led the nation in field goal percentage two consecutive years and is ranked fourth all-time in NCAA Division I history for field goal percentage (.667).
Bradds left the Bruins after four successful years under head coach Rick Byrd, and in that time he realized he wanted to coach basketball at some point in his career.
“Coach Byrd made me want to become a coach after the years playing under him, I just never imagined it happening this soon. I am very blessed.”
The Celtics finished the season second in the Eastern Conference. They defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in seven games and are currently leading the series against the Philadelphia 76ers 1-0.