Isaiah Evans Already Sounds Like a Future Knick After Draft Eve Comments

The Duke stud clearly has his sights set on the Big Apple.

Isaiah Evans sounds like he's ready to begin his NBA career in the Big Apple. Will the Knicks come calling? | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Fresh off an NBA championship, Knicks fans are wondering what the team will do in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is set to begin on Tuesday night with the first round. The Knicks have three selections in this year’s draft, including No. 24 overall.

These draft selections could be paramount in filling potential holes on New York’s roster for next season, given that owner James Dolan isn’t a fan of going into the second apron. That said, at No. 24 overall, the Knicks need to come away with an instant contributor, whether that’s in the frontcourt or on the wing.

If it’s the latter, then Duke’s Isaiah Evans could be the perfect pick for the reigning champs. The Knicks have been linked to Evans throughout the draft process, which makes sense as he’s one of the better shooters in this year’s class, shooting 36.1% from beyond the arc as a sophomore.

On Monday, Evans met with reporters ahead of the draft and was asked about how his workout with the Knicks went. Evans had nothing but good things to say regarding the team and the city, which fans will love to hear.

“For sure, yeah,” Evans said when asked about playing in an environment such as Madison Square Garden (h/t SNY Knicks). “Yeah, I like New York, I really like New York. I like the energy that New York has, the people here, I resonate with them well.”

"I like the energy New York has - I resonate with them well"

Isaiah Evans on his workout with the Knicks and his thoughts on New York: pic.twitter.com/o0GXcGdaq3

— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 22, 2026

Isaiah Evans looks like even better Knicks pick on eve of NBA Draft

Evans is saying all the right things, and the fact that he worked out for the team after they won the NBA Finals could be a sign that the team has him on their radar.

The 6-foot-5.5 guard/wing is coming off a good sophomore campaign at Duke this past season. Evans averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 28.2 minutes per game across 38 starts, which is a vast improvement from what he did as a freshman in 2024-25.

As a freshman, Evans played in 36 games but made three starts and scored only 6.8 points per game. However, he was still dialed in from beyond the arc, shooting 41.6% on 4.1 attempts per game. This past season, Evans’ three-point percentage dipped to 36.1%, but he upped his attempts per game to 7.4. Additionally, his three-point field goals increased from 1.7 as a freshman to 2.7.

Isaiah Evans could be a very intriguing prospect for the Knicks to target in this year’s draft. NYK had him in for a workout last week, a clear sign of interest.

Strengths:
🔶 aggressive shooter
🔶 excels at creating off-ball looks
🔶 improved finishing at the rim

Weaknesses:…

— Dylan Backer (@DylanBackerESM) June 21, 2026

With Landry Shamet being an unrestricted free agent this summer, there’s a chance that he gets more money elsewhere, which means the Knicks would lose one of their top bench options. 

However, Evans could theoretically step in for the veteran guard, providing the Knicks with a shooter who can play alongside Jalen Brunson and the rest of the starters. But the former Duke guard can pick up ball-handling duties and bring some flexibility on defense, as Knicks on SI's Kento Kato pointed out in his latest mock draft.

Needless to say, given how expensive the Knicks roster will be at the top, they must hit on their draft picks to give themselves a chance to defend their title. Adding a guy like Evans, who has the correct mindset for playing in New York, would be a great first step.