Duke Blue Devils star Isaiah Evans has received a very disappointing NBA prediction.
While Cameron Boozer is viewed as a consensus top-four pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, there are a couple of other Duke Blue Devils players who could go in the first round.
One of them is Isaiah Evans, who elected to return to Duke after some expected him to head into the draft last year.
But not everyone views Evans the same way.
While some consider the 6-foot-6 wing to be a lottery pick, there are some who are not quite sold on Evans, and that includes Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.
In his most recent mock draft, Wasserman had Evans sliding all the way to No. 31, where he had the youngster being selected by the Memphis Grizzlies.
"There have been signs of Isaiah Evans' improved burst for slashing to the rim. Regardless, he'll be eyed by teams for his off-ball shooting, which has looked similar to last year, only with double the minutes and shots," Wasserman wrote.
Evans arrived at Duke last season and averaged 6.8 points over 13.8 minutes on 43.2/41.6/81.3 shooting splits.
Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans. Credit: lex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.While the Fayetteville, N.C. native was lauded for his strong shooting, his game was a bit raw otherwise, and it was pretty clear he needed some more seasoning.
Evans' decision to return to Durham was a good one, as he has averaged 15 points and 3.3 rebounds across 28 minutes per game this year, starting every contest. His percentages (42.5/35.8/86.4) certainly leave a bit to be desired, but you can certainly see that the offensive potential is there.
Defensively, Evans definitely has the potential to be an impactful player because of his length (6-foot-10 wingspan), but his slight frame could result in him getting bullied on the professional level.
Of course, Evans could always add some weight, and because he is still just 20 years old, he is likely to fill out a bit more.
Where Evans lands in the draft will certainly be interesting. I actually believe he has the raw talent to become a very good NBA player, but it's clear that Evans' stock is vacillating at the moment.
If he does slide all the way to the back end of the first round, someone could end up with quite a steal.
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