As Duke basketball continues to prepare for the upcoming season, the Blue Zone is here to break down film from the new additions to both the men’s and women’s teams. On the men’s side, we’ve already looked at Kon Knueppel and Patrick Ngongba II. Next up is Isaiah Evans:
Freshman wing Isaiah Evans, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 175 pounds, is expected to be a high-octane scorer and energetic presence for Duke this season. Evans’ profile and skills mirror that of former Blue Devil one-and-done Brandon Ingram: a lightweight slasher who shoots efficiently and can score over any defender.
In his storied high school senior year at North Mecklenburg, Evans averaged 27.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest on an impressive 53% shooting clip, leading the Vikings to the North Carolina 4A State Championship. As a result, numerous honors poured in for Evans, including a McDonald’s All-American Game selection and the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year award.
Given Evans’ 43% shooting from distance, his 3-point shot creation is a great starting point to examine his game. While Evans’ can shoot the ball off a standstill catch, the more impressive aspect of his playstyle is his ability to create his own jumper. Watch here as Evans utilizes the stepback and a high release point to nail the triple.
Similar to the aforementioned Ingram, Evans boasts an impressive turnaround jumper. As seen below, Evans is comfortable posting up smaller guards, spinning around them and elevating to hit midrange shots.
Outside of shooting, Evans uses his body well to finish in traffic over and around bigs. In the next clip, Evans displays his driving instincts, tight handle and creative finishing package to add a bucket for North Mecklenburg.
On the defensive end, Evans is great at using his length to get deflections or contest shots. Throughout his senior year, the forward averaged 2.4 steals per game, proving his impact on both ends. Below, see Evans help a teammate in defense coverage, block a floater, and then showcase a smooth euro-step finish for a bucket.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, Evans hates North Carolina. Faced with opposing students wearing North Carolina merchandise, Evans did not shy away from letting his true feelings about the rival school show. To couple, he also added 22 points and a playoff victory.
It’s no surprise that Duke fans are stoked about the addition of Isaiah Evans. Not only is he an exceptional talent, but he has a fiery playstyle sure to ignite Cameron Indoor Stadium. Additionally, he is a Blue Devil through and through, committing early to the program in April of his junior year. While Evans joins a crowded group of wings, expect him to earn meaningful minutes and contribute as soon as Duke’s first games roll around in November.
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