Sacramento may end up passing on Cameron Boozer depending on where the team lands in the NBA draft order. But the Kings shouldn't overlook another Blue Devils star.
Cameron Boozer may not become a Duke representative on the Sacramento Kings.
A lot will depend on where the franchise lands on NBA draft night in late June. Many Kings fans hope AJ Dybantsa out of BYU will be the team's first selection, especially if Sacramento wins the top pick of the draft lottery.
But Sacramento has other options.
KingsRoundtable is taking a closer look at prospects who could prove to be valuable contributors for the franchise. Among our recent draft profiles are Keaton Wagler of Illinois and Kingston Flemings of Houston, who come off the board within the first five picks.
We're also thinking about potential late round gems, such as forward Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's.
Here we're presenting a Duke star who thrived with Boozer and the Blue Devils, who rises as a possible late-round find: Guard Isaiah Evans.
Improved Scorer
Evans showed he can attack defenses at all three levels of the floor.
He went into attack mode early against Ejiofor's Red Storm during their Sweet 16 matchup. Including blowing past the defensive setup for the early dunk:
Evans could've settled on shooting deep during that transition moment on the first highlight play above. But instead zipped through the lane with no hesitancy.
Attacking inside isn't his only strength, though.
Evans hit over 43 percent of his field-goal attempts and improved his 3-point percentage this past season. He started to grow more comfortable developing into a shot creator from mid-range, though his biggest strength is catching and shooting. Still, he became a more diversified scorer under Duke head coach Jon Scheyer.
Defensive Energy
Don't let the nights that saw Evans struggle to deliver a block or steal fool you.
That's because teams chose to funnel plays away from Evans.
Teams after the Duke-Florida contest learned that lesson, as Evans blocked an astonishing five shots against a taller Gators team.
He also delivered eight games in hitting two steals or more.
Areas for Improvement
Bulk will be needed for Evans.
He could be entering the league at just 180 pounds despite possessing solid height (6-foot-6) for a guard.
Teams like the Kings should love his lane attacking ability. But drawing constant contact with that frame on a nightly basis can wear down Evans fast.
Fit with Kings?
Evans is less heralded compared to Boozer or even his twin brother, Cayden Boozer.
But he'd likely have been the Devils' top scorer if it weren't for the twins. Evans is also a solid defensive cog out of the backcourt.
Kings general manager Scott Perry and coach Doug Christie should fawn over Evans' versatility. He's garnering late first-round attention with the potential to drop lower. He could be worth taking in the second round, or even moving up for.
Granted, Evans' arrival is predicated on who Sacramento goes with first. By choosing either Wagler or Flemings at guard, that will mean swinging to Ejiofor as the second pick, if the former Johnny is still on the board. Or if Sacramento opts for a scoring forward first, then Evans could be the guy picked next.
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