Former Duke Blue Devil Isaiah Evans will exit the NBA Draft Green Room on Tuesday night without hearing his name called.
Evans, who had a very interesting decision to make this offseason regarding a return to college basketball or making the jump to the NBA, has officially fallen out of the first round of the draft entirely.
Isaiah Evans Not Selected in First Round of NBA Draft
Evans was a late invite to the Green Room, making it that much more surprising that the 6’6″ sharpshooter was not taken in the first round. Nonetheless, the sting is still prevalent.
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Evans faced a tough decision this offseason following a sophomore year with the Blue Devils that certainly saw him grow as a player, but didn’t exactly boost his draft stock as much as many expected heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
As a sophomore with the Blue Devils, Evans averaged 15.0 points on 36.1% shooting from three-point range on 7.4 attempts a contest. Projected as a lengthy 3-and-D prospect at the next level, his three-point shot was his most attractive trait.
Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA; IDuke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) shoots the ball against the St. John’s Red Storm in the second half during a Sweet Sixteen game 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, Evans diversified his offensive game in his second year of college basketball. As a rookie, 82% of Evans’ shot attempts and 78% of his makes came from the perimeter. As a sophomore, 65% of his shot attempts and 54% of his makes came from beyond the arc.
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Evans will now have to wait until day two of the 2026 draft to find his new home in the NBA.
Mar 27, 2026; Washington, DC, USA;Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) dribbles the ball past St. John’s Red Storm guard Oziyah Sellers (4) in the first half during a Sweet Sixteen game of the East Regional of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images
The Cold Reality for Isaiah Evans
Evans and Patrick Ngongba had essentially the same decision to make this offseason. Both were projected mid-first-round picks in the 2026 NBA Draft, but both likely would earn more money in the college game in 2026-27. When it was all said and done, Ngongba elected to return to Duke, and Evans made the jump to the NBA.
As a second-rounder, Evans likely will not receive a guaranteed contract, meaning he will have to individually discuss a deal with whichever franchise selects him. There’s no doubt he left a significant NIL paycheck by heading to the NBA.
Whether it was with Duke or potentially hitting the transfer portal, Evans certainly could’ve earned a hefty payday to play college basketball next season. One has to admire his passion to get to the NBA, but the financial implications of his decision are now clear.
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Evans was viewed as a near-lock to be selected in the first round, and now a nightmare scenario has been realized for the former Blue Devil sharpshooter.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/duke as Nightmare Scenario for Duke’s Isaiah Evans Realized on Draft Night.
