Duke's roster for next season is largely finalized at this point, with the addition of international big man Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje adding frontcourt depth and Loyola transfer guard Jacob Theodosiou helping round out the back end of the rotation and practice squad. With most of the roster construction complete heading into next season, it's only right to stay connected to the Blue Devils who entered their names into the NBA Draft as they navigate the pre-draft process.
Isaiah Evans was one of Duke's most important pieces last season and officially entered his name into the NBA Draft a couple of weeks ago. The move came as little surprise, given his projection as a first-round pick. After taking a major step forward in his sophomore season, Evans developed into a true three-level scoring threat and significantly elevated his draft stock compared to his freshman year.
However, a recent NBA mock draft has added a new layer of discussion around that decision.
Updated NBA mock draft changes outlook on Isaiah Evans' decision
Originally, Evans' decision to enter the NBA Draft looked like the right move, especially as other high-level shooters in the class - including UConn's Braylon Mullins - opted to return to college basketball. With decisions like those, it looked like Evans' stock could be boosted significantly heading into the pre-draft process.
However, the latest mock draft from The Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman tells a slightly different story, projecting Evans to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 30 overall, where he would reunite with former Duke teammate Cooper Flagg. While that landing spot would be an intriguing fit, slipping to the final pick of the first round may not carry the same value as a potential return to Durham for his junior season would have.
Although Evans' decision may look less straightforward at this point, given his current projection, it's also worth noting that a return to Duke could have changed the Blue Devils' offseason plans significantly. If he had opted to return for his junior season, Jon Scheyer might not have pursued the highly touted transfer guard John Blackwell, instead choosing to run it back with Evans.
With the draft still over a month away, Evans' situation will continue to be monitored closely as he navigates the pre-draft process. Workouts and team evaluations over the next several weeks will play a major role in determining where Evans will hear his name called on draft night. Until then, it will be interesting to see if he can increase his stock throughout the process, but there is little doubt that his unique skill set and mentality will transfer to the next level.
Add us as a preferred source on Google