Duke basketball secured one of the top recruiting classes ever for this season, featuring four 5-star recruits and two additional 4-star recruits.
The two 4-star freshmen for the Blue Devils, Patrick Ngongba II and Darren Harris, have not played much this season. Ngnongba has faced injuries, but there isn’t much space for either of them in the rotation with the 5-star recruits and transfers that arrived in Durham last offseason.
Nonetheless, three of the 5-stars: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach, are anticipated lottery selections by most networks in the approaching 2025 NBA Draft, and it is expected that all three will depart after their freshman seasons.
However, Duke might be able to bring Isaiah Evans back for an additional year.
Evans entered Duke as the #13 ranked player in the nation according to 247sports, but during the early part of the season, he played limited minutes, causing confusion among Duke fans and basketball experts.
The 6′ 6″ 175-pound guard arrived in Durham recognized as one of the top shooters in his class, and when he stepped onto the court, he demonstrated just how proficient a shooter he can be.
Having missed Duke’s initial two significant contests against Kansas and Kentucky, both resulting in losses for the Blue Devils, Evans entered during Duke’s home game versus Auburn and delivered an impressive performance.
Evans ignited right away, making 6 threes on 6 tries for 18 points in just the first half to propel Duke to a significant victory against the Tigers.
Since that time, he has been among the top shooters in the ACC, if not in the whole nation.
He has logged over ten minutes in each game since then, making 19-of-34 (55.8%) of his three-point attempts since his performance against Auburn.
Evans hasn’t officially taken enough attempts to be eligible for the highest three-point percentage in the ACC, yet he is presently 6th in three-point field goals made per game (2.4).
As a reference, Evans has made 26 of 52 attempts (50%) from three-point distance this season. The present ACC leader in three-point shooting percentage is Virginia’s Isaac McKneely, who has made 41 of 92 attempts (44.6%) from beyond the arc this season.
However, with that top-tier shooting skill, Evans is either projected as a late second-round pick or is absent from most current mock draft boards.
Possessing a lengthy wingspan and build, he has the ability to be a consistent 3-and-D talent in the NBA. At this moment, his defense simply needs to match his offense.
At times, Evans has had difficulty defending the perimeter in pick-and-roll scenarios and preventing larger guards from driving past him at his weight of only 175 pounds.
Therefore, Evans coming back to Duke for an additional year might be very logical.
Duke’s head coach Jon Scheyer has excelled at nurturing talent during his brief time at Duke, and we’re witnessing this with another current Blue Devil, as Tyrese Proctor is finally enjoying his breakout season as a junior.
However, for Evans, returning to Durham in a system he already knows could significantly enhance his draft stock.
His catch-and-shoot skills rival those of anyone in college basketball, and he has demonstrated being a reliable danger from three-point territory.
Should his perimeter defensive skills keep getting better, he could soar up draft rankings by 2026 and become a top-tier 3-and-D prospect, which is highly sought after in the modern NBA.
Moreover, if Evans returns in 2026, his responsibilities will probably expand significantly.
At the moment, he’s on the court to take a shot and that’s about it. If he grabs the ball, it’s rising. Just 7 of his attempts this season have occurred within three-point distance, and he is averaging only 0.9 rebounds and 0.5 assists throughout the season.
By having the chance to enhance his defense, Evans will also be able to showcase various facets of his game in an elevated role with the Blue Devils.
In his final year at North Mecklenburg High School (NC), Evans recorded averages of 6.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.3 steals for his senior season.
His statistics aside from his shooting don’t need to impress NBA scouts significantly, but if he proves to be a competent passer and defender in addition to being an exceptional shooter, this could greatly enhance his draft stock.
Evans’ freshman season at Duke has a long way to progress, but a second-season return could be possible for the ex-5-star recruit.
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