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2017 NBA Mock Draft, Week 26: The Timberwolves’ young core improves

By Chris Stone

Jan 14, 2017; Stanford, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) gets the rebound against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 14, 2017; Stanford, CA, USA; Washington Huskies guard Markelle Fultz (20) gets the rebound against the Stanford Cardinal in the first half at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mar 16, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jawun Evans (1) during practice the day before the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 16, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Jawun Evans (1) during practice the day before the first round of the 2017 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
Learn more about Jawun Evans at The Step Back.

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Jawun Evans

PG, Oklahoma State

Draft status: In with an agent

George Hill is already 30-years old and he’ll be a free agent this offseason and while Dante Exum could be the point guard of the future, having a battle in the backcourt wouldn’t be the worst thing for the Utah Jazz. Ultimately, the team could find both its future starting point guard and its future backup with some combination of Exum and Oklahoma State’s Jawun Evans.

The 6-foot guard out of Stillwater led the nation’s top ranked offense in college basketball last season. His pick-and-roll ball-handling was terrific as his short stature allows him to get low to the ground and beat opponents off the dribble. Evans frequently broke down defenses by getting into the paint and finding 3-point shooters on the perimeter. He was active at the rim, but his lack of athletic explosion made finishing there difficult. In order to get over the hump as an NBA point guard, he’ll need to find more consistent ways to score on the inside. He’ll also need to shore up his 3-point shooting. While he shot a good percentage from deep and at the foul line, his lack of 3-point volume is concerning.

Defensively, Evans is going to have some work to do simply because he lacks the size of a modern day point guard, but he created a plethora of steals last season, which could open up his team’s transition game.

Learn more about Jawun Evans at The Step Back.