It always seemed likely that Isaiah Evans would forego his final two years of eligibility and leave Duke after his sophomore season for the NBA Draft.
The former blue-chip recruit had a breakout second season in Durham as Duke's second-leading scorer. He averaged 15 points per game on 43/36/86 shooting splits and is one of the premier three-point shooters in the country. NBA spacing will make that point more obvious.
On Wednesday, Evans made his announcement, declaring for the NBA Draft as expected.
Evans always seemed to be leaning that way, but the draft board broke in his favor over the last week and made the decision easier for him.
Isaiah Evans' stock is on the rise before the pre-draft process has even started
Before he's worked out for a single scout or attended the NBA Draft Combine, Evans has seen his stock rise thanks to a few unexpected players returning to college.
UConn's Braylon Mullins and Florida's Thomas Haugh, to name two, were both projected as lottery picks. Evans has mostly been seen as a late first-round option, but according to Tankathon, he's already moved up to No. 23 on their big board.
Evans will need to pack on some weight to deal with the physicality of the NBA. His 180-pound frame will undoubtedly be a major topic of discussion in NBA circles leading up to the draft.
But he's 6-foot-6 and can shoot and defend at a high level. 3-and-D wings are always coveted at the next level.
While there was some slight optimism circulating through social media that Evans could consider a return, Duke's aggressive pursuit of Wisconsin guard John Blackwell should have signaled that Jon Scheyer was fairly certain that Evans was going to go pro.
That decision became easier with the board ahead of him opening up a bit and allowing him to take a step forward before he has a chance to impress scouts in person with his immense skill.
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