Oregon's Kwame Evans Set to be Among Biggest Sophomore Risers Next Season

The Oregon prospect had a strong close to his freshman season and should be able to carry that momentum into next season after announcing he is returning to college for another year.

Following a strong close to his freshman season at Oregon, Kwame Evans was on track to be worthy of a selection in the 2024 NBA Draft. The former five-star recruit was likely going to be a second-round pick, but had proven he was an NBA talent after just one collegiate season.

With that in mind, Evans announced on Tuesday that he would be returning to play for the Ducks next season. This puts him in a position to be considered one of the breakout sophomore candidates next season as he looks to increase his stock ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.

During his freshman campaign at Oregon, Evans produced 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 22.5 minutes per contest. Next season, he will play a much bigger role. At 6-foot-9 with great fluidity, he will need to improve as a 3-point shooter to really put himself in the first-round conversation. Furthermore, continuing to be a disruptive defender while more consistently making the right play on that end will be a focal point.

If he can emerge as a two-way combo forward who can defend multiple positions and knock down triples, there's no question he should end up being a first-round selection in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Ducks once again should be a quality team, which will allow Evans to prove he impacts winning even in high-stakes games.

When ranking the top returning college basketball players for next season, Evans is now near the top of the list as it relates to NBA upside.

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