The pre-draft process gets started in earnest this week for all the NBA hopefuls. Following the draft lottery on Sunday, prospects are descending upon Chicago this week for the NBA Draft Combine as they look to work their way up boards ahead of next month's draft.
Duke's Isaiah Evans elected to enter the draft after a strong sophomore season that displayed his shot-making prowess and potential as a 3-and-D wing at the next level. But his current draft projection has called that decision into question.
Evans is widely seen as a late first-round pick in a loaded draft class, and with next year's class looking friendlier, could he have been best served to bypass this year's draft and return to Duke for his junior season?
That's a question that On3's Jamie Shaw posed on social media over the weekend, stoking the flames of optimism among Duke fans that the Blue Devils roster could get even more loaded:
Isaiah Evans can score in bursts that change games.
— Jamie Shaw (@JamieShaw5) May 10, 2026
But his draft projection puts him in a difficult spot — high enough to leave, low enough to consider returning.
Is one more season at Duke worth the risk, or should he stay in the draft?
It may not be that simple. https://t.co/vsKhIFisJZ pic.twitter.com/b22qakA4Mr
Isaiah Evans won't be returning to Duke for his junior season
On3's Jamie Shaw presents the question, but has trouble finding a real reason that Evans might exit the draft.
"I'm not entirely sure what coming back could do to raise his stock," Shaw said about Evans. "He could potentially go higher because the draft is a little weaker, but if there's a first-round ability there now, I'm not entirely sure coming back he would grow on that."
Duke fans had their antennas go up based on Shaw being the first to propose the potential of Evans returning to school, but it's not really realistic.
Evans's draft announcement wasn't open-ended. He didn't say he was leaving the door open to return to school, though that's not necessarily a prerequisite to exit the draft.
Jon Scheyer has built this roster with the thought that Evans is gone, however. That's why the Blue Devils were so aggressive in pursuing Wisconsin guard John Blackwell. They needed a scoring punch in the backcourt to replace Evans, and they got it.
Duke's rotation is already absolutely loaded. Scheyer is going to have a difficult enough time trimming it down and finding playing time for everyone who deserves it without Evans making a stunning return to Durham.
While Duke does technically have a scholarship spot open, Evans won't be back in Durham next season. Whether or not his decision was the right one or not is fair to question right now, but he's all-in on the NBA Draft, and there's no indication that there's any optimism that he'll be wearing a Duke uniform again.
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