Photo credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Duke Basketball: Fiery Public School Five-Star Heading to Durham
After helping North Meck secure the North Carolina 4A title on Saturday night, future Duke basketball wing Isaiah Evans explained to the media the difference between being a legend at one's hometown public school versus starring for some powerhouse prep academy hundreds or thousands miles away.
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"It means everything to me," said Evans, who began his high school career playing junior varsity and capped it off with 23 points, eight rebounds, and a 4-for-5 clip beyond the arc to lead North Meck (30-3) to a 57-47 championship win over New Hanover (32-1) in Winston-Salem's Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
"Coming in as a freshman, you hear about all these other great players. It kind of sparks something in you. It makes you want to make a name for yourself. Going to a private school across the world and winning a meaningless game doesn't really do anything for you. It doesn't fulfill you, in my opinion."
Evans, No. 14 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, is now a McDonald's All-American and North Carolina's back-to-back Mr. Basketball honoree.
"This is fulfilling," the 6-foot-6, 170-pound five-star added after picking up the MVP hardware following unreal performances throughout the postseason run, including his 48 points in the quarterfinals. "We put in real hours and time and sweat and blood for this. This wasn't something we woke up one day and decided we were going to do."
There's no doubt Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his program will benefit from the steadfast allegiance and diligence of Isaiah Evans.
The big-time bucket-getter, whose slender frame and silky game draw comparisons to former Blue Devil star Brandon Ingram, has been committed to Scheyer since last April. And despite some folks questioning his loyalty to Duke in the fall, he made his pledge official during the early signing period in November.
Plus, it's worth noting that among the now-six pieces to the Blue Devils' top-ranked 2024 recruiting haul, Evans was the most frequent visitor to his future home, Cameron Indoor Stadium, this season. Of course, that too probably wouldn't have been possible had he decided to take his heralded talents to a private school in another state.
Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.