The Duke basketball program retained the majority of its star talent from this past season, bringing back four of its top six scorers from a season ago.
This is a bit different from what the Blue Devil faithful are used to, as the Blue Devils typically keep their elite talents for only one season.
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
However, Duke’s top two scorers from the 2025-26 campaign did elect to make the jump to the NBA, as freshman sensation and National Player of the Year Cameron Boozer declared for the 2026 draft, along with Isaiah Evans.
Advertisement
Boozer was a lock to enter the NBA Draft as a consensus top-three prospect, but Evans had a very intriguing decision to make.
Isaiah Evans’ Difficult Draft Decision
Both Evans and Patrick Ngongba were viewed as projected late-first-round selections in this summer’s draft. A few years ago, that would have made the leap to the pros a done deal. However, that is no longer the case.
In today’s NIL era of college athletics, especially for one of the most storied programs in the sport’s history, like Duke, there’s a lot of money to be made. That was the case for Ngongba and Evans.
There was a great chance that Evans and Ngongba could make more money in college next year than on their first-year NBA salaries as late first-rounders. Especially given that the pair were two of Duke’s most impactful players a season ago, those paychecks would have been generous for a return.
Advertisement
In the end, Ngongba elected to return to the Blue Devils while Evans officially declared for the NBA Draft.
Why NBA Draft Decision Could Spark Regret for Isaiah Evans
It sounds crazy to say, but Evans likely left some money on the table by heading to the NBA rather than returning to college basketball. In the NBA Draft, projections are only accurate for so many picks. After the top 20, it can become a frenzy.
In the late first and second rounds, the consensus rankings mean way less. NBA franchises take the guys they like, and “reaches” occur all the time. As a projected late first-rounder, a draft slide could come back to haunt Evans’ decision.
In all likelihood, this won’t happen. Evans projected as a productive 3-and-D wing at the next level. Despite not boasting much star power, any NBA team can use a volume outside shooter who can get hot at any moment.
Advertisement
However, in that range, when the draft gets hectic, who knows what could happen. If a scenario arises in which Evans drops out of the first round entirely, his decision could keep him up at night.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as How NBA Draft Could Spark Major Regret for Duke’s Evans.
