Duke Assistant Evan Bradds Eyed for Belmont Head Coach Job

Bradds, a former Belmont star, could leave Duke to take over the Bruins program.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 3:39pm

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After Belmont head coach Casey Alexander left to take the same position at Kansas State, the Bruins are searching for his replacement. Sources indicate that Duke assistant coach Evan Bradds, a former Belmont player, is a top candidate for the job. Bradds has previous coaching experience with the Boston Celtics and Utah Jazz before joining Jon Scheyer's staff at Duke this season.

Why it matters

Belmont is a mid-major basketball powerhouse, having won 20 or more games in every season under Alexander. Losing a top assistant from a blue-blood program like Duke would be a significant blow to the Blue Devils, especially with the NCAA Tournament looming. Bradds' potential departure also raises questions about coaching stability at Duke as Jon Scheyer enters his second season as head coach.

The details

Bradds was a standout forward for Belmont, earning two-time AP All-American honorable mention and two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors during his college career. After going undrafted, he jumped into coaching, first with the Boston Celtics in 2018 and then the Utah Jazz in 2022 before joining Duke this season. Now, Belmont is eyeing Bradds as a top candidate to replace Alexander, who left to take the head coaching job at Kansas State.

  • Belmont head coach Casey Alexander left the program in March 2026 to take the same position at Kansas State.
  • Evan Bradds is currently in his first season as an assistant coach at Duke under head coach Jon Scheyer.

The players

Evan Bradds

A 31-year-old assistant coach at Duke who was a standout player at Belmont, earning two-time AP All-American honorable mention and two-time Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year honors.

Casey Alexander

The former head coach of the Belmont Bruins, who left the program in March 2026 to take the same position at Kansas State.

Jon Scheyer

The current head coach of the Duke Blue Devils, in his second season leading the program.

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What they’re saying

“Two names sources have indicated are likely to be involved in the search to replace Casey Alexander at Belmont: Alabama-Huntsville HC Mick Hedgepeth & Duke assistant Evan Bradds. Both played at Belmont for Rick Byrd. Bradds also spent time on staff with the Celtics and Jazz.”

— Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated Writer

What’s next

Belmont is expected to move quickly to find a replacement for Casey Alexander, with Evan Bradds emerging as a top candidate given his history with the program. Duke will also need to determine if they can keep Bradds on staff or if he will depart for the Belmont head coaching job.

The takeaway

This coaching carousel highlights the value of having strong ties to a program, as Belmont looks to replace its successful head coach with a former player in Evan Bradds. It also underscores the challenges mid-major programs face in retaining top coaching talent, especially when larger programs come calling.