The Blue Devils once again are stockpiled with NBA-caliber talent ahead of the NBA draft. Isaiah Evans happens to be one who could appeal to Brooklyn.
The Brooklyn Nets find themselves in position to draft a Duke Blue Devils star.
Maybe Cameron Boozer, as the Nets have the best odds for landing the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft in late June, as the taller of the Boozer twins remains a popular pick among Nets fans.
But Brooklyn will have other options in the first round.
As KingsRoundtable has previously charted, those possibilities range from guard Keaton Wagler of Illinois to point guard Kingston Flemings of Houston. We also identified forward Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's as a possible late-round gem.
Yet circling back to Duke, head coach Jon Scheyer will likely have up to three guys or more in this year's draft. Including this one, who looks like a strong Nets possibility.
Time to dive into why guard Isaiah Evans is capable of fitting inside the Barclays Center with the Nets.
High-Level Shooter
Evans shot above 43 percent from the floor in both of his college seasons.
That percentage isn't by accident. Evans delivered when called on and became a high-level shooter.
But he also showed he can attack outside of stepping back and settling for 3-pointers. Evans showed no hesitation in penetrating the lane and finishing off the dunk, just like the first highlight play against St. John's in their Sweet 16 matchup:
Evans became trustworthy as a three-level scorer, even on a team stockpiled with blue-chippers like Cam and Cayden Boozer.
He started to grow more comfortable developing into a shot creator in the mid-range game. His biggest strength is catching and shooting. Still, he became a more diversified scorer under Scheyer.
Defensive Flashes
Feels like Evans' game is tailored-made for offense, but he's flashed on defense when needed.
The 6-foot-6 guard swatted three blocks against Cal during an Atlantic Coast Conference showdown. But he collected an epic five in the victory over Florida, which also saw him bank in the game-winning basket.
Opposing teams ultimately tried to funnel plays away from Evans when running their offensive sets. But Evans is a shark in the water when it does come to defense.
He's also delivered eight games of snatching two steals or more.
Fit with Nets?
Evans' downside is his frame. He comes in weighing a slight 180 pounds.
Yes, he's a rim-attacker and protector. But he'll need bulk up if he opts to enter the draft.
He could be a huge boost for Brooklyn's defense, especially as a shot-blocking guard. Head coach Jordi Fernández may also love his shot-creation ability, which could take pressure off Michael Porter Jr. and Egor Demin, along with whoever the Nets pick first.
Evans would need to be available around the early part of the second round to join Brooklyn. But he's presented as a versatile fit here.
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