Isaiah Evans finally heard his name called at the NBA Draft after slipping out of the first round on Wednesday, and he should fit right in at his new home.
Evans was chosen with the 33rd overall pick in the second round by the Brooklyn Nets, who then traded his rights to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He had to wait until the second day of the draft, but Evans landed with a team that will give him a path to playing time right away.
Evans Joins Teammates
He also joins teammates Cameron Boozer and Maliq Brown as Blue Devils to be drafted this year. Over the last two seasons alone, Duke has seen eight total players drafted into the NBA.
Evans broke out as a secondary star for the Blue Devils last season. He averaged over 15 points per game and was highly efficient from the floor and from three-point range. His shooting is the skill that earned him draft hype, along with his offensive upside as a 6’6 guard/wing hybrid. Evans played a major role in Duke’s run to the Elite Eight in this past season’s NCAA Tournament.
Evans has plenty of room to grow in his finishing and defensive abilities. However, his marksmanship from downtown should get him on the court in a hurry, and he’ll have a chance at getting a lot of reps early on in his NBA career.
While his draft stock was inconsistent throughout the offseason, Evans landed roughly in the range he was expected to. Now with the Timberwolves, he’ll look to make an immediate impact for a team that is looking to be one of the best in the Western Conference next season.
How Evans Fits
Firstly, Evans is filling a massive need for the Timberwolves. Minnesota will be without shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo for most of next season due to a torn Achilles tendon he suffered in the playoffs. As such, Evans will slide right in and play a similar role, likely off the bench, for the Timberwolves next season.
Evans not only gives the Wolves a lot of shooting depth, but he should fit in with the team’s other guards that have seen an increase in playing time recently, such as Terrence Shannon Jr. Head coach Chris Finch has shown a willingness to give his rookies a chance to prove themselves, and Evans will likely get the same opportunity next season.
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