From the outside, it might appear that Amile Jefferson has been lying low since leaving Duke for an assistant coaching role with the Boston Celtics. But that’s just the public vantage point. As an assistant, he naturally operates behind the scenes, out of the spotlight at least for now. That’s about to shift, though, once Boston tips off Summer League play on July 10, when they’ll hand the reins of the roster over to Coach Jefferson.
This will also mark the first look at draft pick Chris Cenac, and Jefferson could turn out to be the perfect mentor for him. Back in his own freshman year at Duke, Jefferson was thrust into action prematurely because of injuries and took his fair share of hard knocks. But he responded by adding strength and eventually became a dominant presence, playing a pivotal role in Duke’s 2015 national title run. That kind of journey ought to strike a chord with Cenac, who’s coming in after just one season at Houston.
The full roster isn’t set yet, but if Cenac has any sense, he’ll pay close attention to Jefferson because that’s a guy who can truly show him the way.
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