When you think about Duke‘s current roster of basketball players that are going into the NBA, the name that comes to mind is Cameron Boozer. He really dominated the NCAA tournament and grabbed the headlines. Everyone was buzzing about Boozer during March Madness, but there are other Duke players who were total standouts.
One of those other players is Isaiah Evans. He played in 36 games for the Duke Blue Devils, and even though he didn’t fly under the radar, he didn’t get the attention that Boozer did.
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But, Evans is moving up the NBA draft ladder. He’s expected to go earlier than originally planned. Jeremy Woo of ESPN thinks Evans will go at No. 23 in the draft to the Atlanta Hawks.
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DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 02: Isaiah Evans #3 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts in the second half against the Florida Gators during their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on December 02, 2025 in Durham, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
“Evans’ long-range shot-making has kept first-round interest high, and he appears likely to come off the board in the 20s,” he says in the piece. “He has nice size for a wing shooter, measuring 6-5½ barefoot at the combine, and has a pathway to becoming a valuable role player if he can continue to flesh out his game, particularly on defense. Though he is more of a play-finisher and spacer than a creator, Evans’ ability to hit shots off movement is rare and perpetually coveted by NBA teams.”
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So, what really makes Evans stand out? When you look at the raw numbers and stats, it shows that he’s a well-rounded player. That’s something you need in the NBA.
In the NBA, you need to be able to do a little bit of everything. But, of course, one of the biggest and most important things is to be able to make 3s.
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During his time at Duke, Evans shot 41.6% from 3-point range. That’s excellent. For better or worse, the NBA is all about 3s in the modern era, and Evans’ ability to sink those 3-point shots should make him a solid fit for any team. I could see him going even earlier than No. 23, but either way, he’s definitely a first-rounder.
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