Insider says this Duke basketball returner should be on 'every breakout list' in the country this season

College basketball insider Jon Rothstein broke down all of the Atlantic Coast Conference for the upcoming 2025-26 college hoops season, and talked about what to expect from the Duke Blue Devils. Rothstein touched on how crucial it was that head coach Jon Scheyer was able to bring some key players back, but thinks rising Blue Devils sophomore Isaiah Evans is one of the top breakout candidates in the nation next season.

"I think if you're looking for a name for returning players that's going to make a jump this year in the ACC, the name to watch for Duke is Isaiah Evans," Rothstein said. "He put up big numbers during a stretch late in the season where there was obviously some injury issues and some health issues with Duke's lineup. Isaiah Evans, to me, is a guy that should be on every breakout list nationally."

The sharpshooter will certainly be all over breakout lists around college hoops for the upcoming season, as Evans showed flashes of greatness at times during his freshman year.

After coming into the program as a five-star recruit, Evans didn't see much time early on, to the surprise of a lot of fans. It wasn't until late November that Evans broke onto the national scene, following an elite performance against then-No. 2 Auburn at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

In 16 minutes, Evans went for 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from three to propel the Blue Devils past the Tigers 84-78. From then on, he became a regular part of the rotation.

The 6'7 wing quickly established himself as one of the best shooters in the ACC, finishing his rookie campaign averaging 6.8 points while connecting on 41.6% of his shots from the perimeter on 4.1 attempts a game.

Now, Evans will enter a much larger role as a sophomore, and there's a lot of pressure on the wing to excel in several different aspects of his game. Evans was strictly a 3-and-D guy as a freshman. 81% of his shot attempts and 78% of his makes came from three, and although he'll still have plenty of action run for him to get open catch-and-shoot looks, he'll likely need to expand his offensive arsenal as a starter.

Beyond scoring itself, Evans was a solid perimeter defender, but he'll likely need to be much more versatile with his length and Scheyer's defensive system, which likes to switch often. Evans was listed at just 175 pounds as a rookie, which is a number that will likely need to jump throughout the summer. Another number that will need to improve is Evans' passing ability. The North Carolina native averaged less than an assist a night as a freshman, granted his role didn't call for him to be a passer. However, Duke assisted on 58.5% of its baskets last season, with four starters averaging over two assists a game. Scheyer will need Evans to be a more willing passer at times with the ball in his hands.

Evans is poised for a huge sophomore season, and Duke will need a big jump from the elite shooter to contend for a national title in 2026.