Isaiah Evans enters NBA Draft despite decision to return to Duke basketball

College basketball players have changes of heart often but the Duke basketball program is hopeful that Isaiah Evans sticks to his beliefs and returns to Durham next season.  

It was a surprise when Evans’ name appeared on the NBA’s list early entry candidates for the 2025 Draft when it was announced last week that he would be returning to the Blue Devils for his sophomore season.

Granted, his inclusion on the list doesn’t mean he cannot return to Duke but now he has the ability to participate at the NBA Draft Combine, if invited, as well as have private workouts for organizations and learn what he needs to improve on to get ready for the 2026 NBA Draft.

The lanky 6-foot-6 freshman averaged 6.8 points per game on 41.6-percent shooting from 3-point range and almost all of his points came from beyond the arc.

Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, and Tyrese Proctor also appeared on the list as each of the rookies had already announced their intentions to forgo the remainder of their eligibility.

Duke's newest commit, Washington State transfer Cedric Coward, is also testing the waters of the NBA Draft.

There had been a lot of speculation around Isaiah Evans’ decision shortly after Duke’s season ended and some had believed that he would either enter the draft or opt for the transfer portal.

Some projections had Evans being selected at the end of the first round, a surprise considering his slender frame and lack of showcasing other key facets of his game that would make him a high-level player in the NBA.

In the end, Blue Devil head coach Jon Scheyer was able to convince the former 5-star recruit to stick with the program for another season as he is poised to be one of the top performers next season.

Flagg, Knueppel, and Maluach are all forecasted to be picked in the lottery during June’s draft.