Why Duke’s Isaiah Evans’ Risky Decision May Prove Costly

Duke’s Isaiah Evans made a risky maneuver this offseason by deciding to keep his name in the draft, and he’s seen his stock fall off slightly in recent weeks.

Evans took a substantial leap as a sophomore last season for the Blue Devils, increasing his points per game production from 6.8 points as a freshman to 15 points in his second season. After being largely a reserve scorer in his rookie campaign, Evans grew to be one of the Blue Devils’ top scoring options as a sophomore.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) shoots the ball past St. John's Red Storm guard Oziyah Sellers (4) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The 6-foot-6, 180-pound guard is a strong scorer and an excellent three-point shooter. He shot 38 percent from three-point range in his college career, and last season, he converted 36 percent of his attempts on over seven per game. His marksmanship from downtown is what helped garner him draft attention so far, and is his true calling card at the next level.

Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer reacts in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Evans Stayed in the Draft

After breaking out as a sophomore, Evans declared for the draft while keeping open the possibility of returning to Duke. Despite his draft stock being murky, Evans elected to stay in the draft and try his luck.

Feb 28, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Isaiah Evans (3) reacts after hitting a three-pointer during the second half against the Virginia Cavaliers at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Duke won 77-51. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

However, Evans’ stock hasn’t been very consistent. He’s shown up on some mock draft boards as a late-first-round pick just outside of the lottery, but recently, he’s seen his stock drop off significantly. In Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin O’Connor’s latest mock draft, he has Evans landing with the 34th overall pick to the Sacramento Kings, a pretty steep drop-off from prior projections.

Mar 26, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer stands on the court during a practice session ahead of the east regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

O’Connor’s Prediction

“Evans is the kind of shooter defenses guard and think they've got him contained, then he uses a screen and catches it off a full sprint, moving away from the rim, and he somehow manages to rise into a perfect 3-pointer. He's a legitimate sharpshooter with the off-ball chops to thrive without even running any offense for himself, and he also has a developing handle that could unlock more creation chances," O'Connor said.

"But he's still a perimeter-based player who needs to add more layers to his game to become a complete offensive talent. As the Kings build out this roster, they're gonna need someone with his shooting prowess."

Feb 16, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) reacts during the during the second half after scoring against the Syracuse Orange at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Evans still has time to improve his draft stock, but he’ll need to make it happen fast. His gamble to stay in the draft instead of returning to Durham may result in a second-round selection, which probably isn’t what he envisioned when he made his decision.

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